Micro-identification, isolation, treatment prevented large-scale death, spread of COVID-19: Vardhan

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said the country's policy of micro-identification, mass isolation and quick treatment helped prevent large scale deaths and spread of COVID-19.

He said 1.35 billion Indians honoured the decision of nationwide lockdown that helped keep the mortality rate down and contained the spread of COVID-19 so far.

Addressing the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Health Ministers' meeting through video conference, Vardhan stressed that human welfare must be the basis of all economic growth.

The meeting was chaired by Ogtay Shiraliyev, Minister of Health, Republic of Azerbaijan, the Union Health ministry said in a statement.

Vardhan said the present COVID-19 pandemic crisis also reminds the people that the global institutions of governance need to become more democratic, transparent and representative to be credible and effective.

A reformed multilateralism is the need of the hour, he said.

"Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ensured speed, scale and determination in the handling this crisis.

"Armed with a political will to ensure that we defeat this dreadful disease, 1.35 billion Indians came together to honour the decision on nationwide lockdown that have kept our mortality rate down and contained the spread of the disease," the statement quoting Vardhan said.

"Our policy of micro-identification, mass isolation and quick treatment reaped good dividends in preventing large scale spread and deaths due to COVID-19," he said.

The NAM summitis being organized at a time when the international community is faced with a pandemic which has disrupted lives and livelihood of millions of people around the world.

The NAM expressed its concern at the global threat posed by COVID-19 and resolved to fight it with proper preparedness, prevention, resilience-building, and greater national, regional and international collaboration, the statement said.

Offering his condolences to families across the world who have lost their loved ones to this deadly disease, Vardhan said, "COVID-19 has made us realize that we are more interconnected and interdependent than ever before.

"It has made us realize that the man-made challenges that our planet faces today - such as climate change and public health emergencies - can only be faced together, not when we are divided. It requires collaboration, not coercion."