Ever since the first COVID-19 case emerged in India, the nation has been taking stringent actions to reduce its impact on the masses.?
Today, PM Modi and tech legend and philanthropist, Bill Gates discussed the world¡¯s response to COVID-19 while also understanding the importance of global coordination, especially in the field of science to take down the novel coronavirus.
Reported first by PTI, both agreed to the fact that looking at India¡¯s motivation and capacity to contribute to global efforts, it is important for the nation should be included in global discussions pertaining to the pandemic.?
Narendra Modi shared in his tweet, "Had an extensive interaction with @BillGates. We discussed issues ranging from India's efforts to fight coronavirus, work of the @gatesfoundation in battling Covid-19, role of technology, innovation and producing a vaccine to cure the pandemic."
To this, Gates replied stating, ¡°Thank you for the conversation and partnership, @narendramodi. Combating the pandemic requires global collaboration. India¡¯s role is key as the world works to minimize social and economic impact, and pave the way to vaccine, testing, and treatment access for all.¡±
The official statement revealed India¡¯s approach is ¡®people-centric bottoms up¡¯ that has helped in the nation to accept and follow social distancing, respecting workers in the front line, habit of wearing masks as well as adhering to lockdown provisions.?
PM Modi also appreciated and lauded health-related work that is being led by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, not just in India, but across the world, especially for COVID-19.
In case you didn¡¯t know, Bill Gates had pledged $100 million towards efforts in fighting COVID-19. Apart from this, The foundation has also paid for 15,000 medicinal molecules to be shipped to a leading laboratory in Belgium to test and be a potential cure to the novel coronavirus. He has also donated Rs 37 crores for at-home testing kits for COVID-19 for people in Washington.
He has also funded development of vaccine called INO-4800 -- a DNA vaccine, which works by injecting an engineered plasmid in a patient¡¯s body to help the body create its own antibodies to ward of a particular infection. The vaccine is already under human-testing phase.