Arjun Munda discusses COVID-19 with Indian doctors in US

New Delhi (IANS) Union Tribal Welfare Minister Arjun Munda spoke to representatives of the association of Indian Doctors working in the US, Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America, and discussed measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The doctors praised the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he has saved a large number of people by implementing the lockdown in time. They said that Indians are law-abiding citizens while in the US people took the lockdown lightly and the results are clearly visible.

A large number of elderly people and those who were already suffering from some other disease got infected by COVID-19 in the US, the doctors said.

They explained how they are treating the corona victims in the US and what precautions should be taken while giving treatment.

Doctors from Bihar and Jharkhand also attended the video conference and shared their experiences.

Dr Subir Kumar Paul from Ranchi told IANS, "The doctors in the US were surprised about how we have prevented the spread of the disease. On this, Union Minister shared detailed information with them and said that in January preparations were made on the instructions of Prime Minister Modi. He told them that bringing back the people stranded in foreign countries was part of the preparations."

He said most of the doctors were keen to know how tribal areas remained untouched by the virus. Replying to this, Munda said, "The virus spread in the tribal villages is difficult as there are hardly 20 people in one village and the houses are located at a certain distance. The tribal communities maintain distance while gathering at a place and abide by the orders of their chief. They live in the lap of nature and have high immunity."

"The mortality rate of corona is only 3-4 per cent while the impact is much more on elderly people. The mortality rate among the senior citizens is almost 60 per cent therefore, we have to save them from the virus attack while the youth have strong immunity," said Dr Paul.

He said such meetings would help in fighting the coronavirus and we can understand the disease in a better way and share our experiences with each other.

More than 20 doctors from the US, Bihar and Jharkhand attended the video conference which included Avinash Gupta, President of the association and Consulate General of India in New York Sandeep Chakraborty.