Kerala health minister presents state's model of tackling COVID-19 at UN webinar

It was a proud moment for the Left-ruled state and its Health Minister K K Shailaja when she participated in a panel discussion on the United Nation's World Public Service Day and presented the "Kerala model" of fighting the pandemic COVID-19.

Shailaja was the lone member from India who participated in the panel discussion titled "On the Frontline: Public Servants and the COVID-19 pandemic" on Tuesday, which saw the participation of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and other top UN dignitaries.

"Social security has been strengthened by ensuring that marginalized and vulnerable sections of the society were not affected by regulatory measures. The idea of One World One Health, of the United Nations was implemented," the Minister said during the webinar, an official release said.

She explained that the experience that the state health department gained while dealing with the Nipah outbreak of 2018 has helped in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

"While the COVID-19 pandemic was first reported in Wuhan province of China, Kerala had started preparing to deal with the pandemic following the directions of the World Health Organization. The entire state machinery and the surveillance network was activated and the standard operating procedures for screening, diagnosis and public health interventions were implemented in accordance with international guidelines," Shailaja said.

She said from the experience of Nipah, the state has learned that there should not be any compromise or delay in public health interventions during such epidemics.

Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the General Assembly, H.E.Ms.Sahle-Work Zewde, President of Ethiopia, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of World Health Organization, Liu Zhenmin, United Nations Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Chin Young, Minister of Interior and Safety, Republic of Korea, were among those who participated in the webinar.

(Photo Credit: Twitter/@shailajateacher)