New Delhi, Nov 11 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed his appreciation for the important role played by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in facilitating a coordinated global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office here, Mr Modi had a telephonic conversation with Director General of WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
During the telephonic conversation, Mr Modi noted the need not to lose sight of the battle against other diseases, and appreciated the importance of WHO's support to the health systems of developing countries.
The Director General stressed the close and regular collaboration between the WHO and the Indian health authorities, specially appreciating the country's domestic initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat scheme and India's campaign against Tuberculosis.
The Prime Minister and the Director General had a productive discussion on the value of Traditional Medicinal Systems, especially for enhancing wellness and immunity of the global population.
They agreed on the need for integrating traditional medicine solutions into modern medical practice through holistic protocols, and for careful scientific validation of time-tested traditional medicine products and practices.
The Director General stressed that the potential of traditional medicine had not been adequately appreciated until now, and said that the WHO was actively working to encourage research, training and sharing of best practices in this area.
The Prime Minister appreciated these efforts, and informed the Director General about the planned celebration of Ayurveda Day in India on 13 November, under the theme of 'Ayurveda for COVID-19'.
The Prime Minister and the Director General also discussed the ongoing global collaboration for countering the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this context, the Director General strongly appreciated Prime Minister Modi's unequivocal commitment to deploy India's capacities as a leading manufacturer of vaccines and pharmaceuticals for the benefit of humanity, added the statement.
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