Painful to hear voices of concern raised during India’s Covid fight: Jagdeep Dhankhar

New Delhi, August 21

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said even a slight dilution, slight commercialisation or slight ethical deviation can be ruinous for those who seek to serve. Addressing the 48th convocation of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, the VP hailed the efforts of health workers and doctors during the Covid pandemic.

The COVID BAttle was fought well

It was a moment of great pride for all of us when we battled Covid at home and also helped several other countries fight it. Several heads of government abroad told me that during the pandemic, India took care of them. Jagdeep Dhankhar, VP

“While Bharat was tackling the pandemic, it was painful to find some irritating voices raising concern, not believing in our ability, that as a nation we need to escape — it does not help anyone,” the VP said in veiled references to several Opposition leaders questioning the quality of Indian vaccines.

“The challenge to humanity revealed to the entire world that we do not live in isolation. Bharat believes in “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” not for the sake of it. On one hand, the government was taking care of 1.3 billion people and on the other, time, it took up the initiative of Vaccine Maitri and helped over 100 countries,” said Dhankhar.

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ is definitive of the essence of our civilisation.

“It was a moment of great pride for all of us when we battled Covid at home and also helped several other countries fight it. I have been abroad on three occasions and several heads of government told me that during the pandemic, India took care of them, which is a remarkable global achievement for us,” he said, hailing the contribution of the AIIMS to national wellbeing.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of State for Health SP Singh Baghel and AIIMS Director M Srinivas attended the convocation.