Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India interacted with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation co-chair, Mr. Bill Gates through NIC Video Conferencing and discussed the global response to COVID-19, and the importance of global coordination on scientific innovation and R&D to combat the pandemic.
Prime Minister underlined the conscious approach that India has adopted in its fight against the health crisis - an approach based on ensuring public engagement through appropriate messaging. He explained how this people-centric bottom-up approach has helped win acceptability for physical distancing, respect for front-line workers, wearing of masks, maintaining proper hygiene, and respecting lockdown provisions.
Prime Minister appreciated the health-related work being done by the Gates Foundation not only in India but also in many other parts of the world, including for coordinating global response to COVID-19. He sought suggestions from Mr. Gates on how India’s capacities and capabilities could be better leveraged for the general benefit of the world.
Prime Minister suggested that the Gates Foundation could take the lead in analysing the necessary changes in lifestyles, economic organisation, social behaviour, modes of disseminating education and healthcare, that would emerge in the post-COVID world, and the associated technological challenges that would need to be addressed. He said that India would be happy to contribute to such an analytical exercise, based on its own experiences.
