World on verge of defeating coronavirus, says Harsh Vardhan at WHO meet

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan chaired the 148th session of WHO Executive Board through video conference. He said, "Allow me to thank the member nations that despite the wide disparity in their epidemiological trends, we are on the verge of defeating the pandemic by adopting a pre-emptive, proactive and collaborative strategy."

File Photo (PIB)

New Delhi: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan has said that the world is on the verge of defeating COVID-19 and that 2020 was the year of coronavirus vaccines discovery.

Harsh Vardhan chaired the 148th session of WHO Executive Board through video conference and said, "Allow me to thank the member nations that despite the wide disparity in their epidemiological trends, we are on the verge of defeating the pandemic by adopting a pre-emptive, proactive and collaborative strategy."

He also said, "If 2020 was the year of discovery for COVID-19 vaccines, 2021 will be the year we face the challenge of getting it to people across the world who most need it. Here is the big role that we at WHO must play."

He also said that the past year 2020 has been the 'Year Of Science' when the best of humanity has shone through the gloom that descended upon us due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"The situation demanded setting up of major global collaborations so that scientists could share their expertise," noted Harsh Vardhan.

He added that all these challenges, such as the present pandemic, demand a shared response because these are shared threats requiring shared responsibility to act and, of course, this shared responsibility is also the core philosophy of the alliance of member nations that comprise the WHO.

"Ever since the COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, close to one year ago, we have put up a valiant fight against the disease, with our collective efforts to suppress transmission, prevent illness and reduce deaths," expressed Union Health Minister.