Modi organizes online discussions with leaders from South Asia

After a gap of almost six years, the leaders of eight countries in South Asia were united by the emergency to fight against the new coronavirus.

A roadmap to tackle the challenges of the spread of the virus in one of the most populous regions of the world has been discussed between countries called South Asian countries for regional cooperation, or SAARC.

Heads of government of ASACR countries and their representatives attended a videoconference meeting on Sunday convened by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Zafar Mirza, Special Advisor to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan for Health, represented the country at the meeting at which Modi announced the creation of the "COVID-19 emergency fund" to which India would contribute $ 10 million.

Although the proposed fund is voluntary, Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said that SAARC member countries "must pool their limited resources to fight this crisis".

Leaders also discussed Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's suggestion for a telemedicine framework to fight the new coronavirus and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh's call for an institution to prevent and combat any threat to public health in the region.

The group's health ministers are following suggestions such as the deployment of medical personnel and the training of health workers to deal with the pandemic, which the leaders discussed.

So far, the region has reported nearly 400 cases, as coronavirus infection has spread to all continents, except Antarctica.

The number of COVID-19 cases in India rose to 147 on Wednesday, according to the Union's Ministry of Health, and three lives were lost due to the virus.

Neighboring Pakistan has recorded single day peaks in the past two days, bringing the balance sheet above 230 on Wednesday.

Meeran Yousuf, spokesman for the Pakistani Minister of Health in Sindh Province, attributed the peak to people who had been detained in a quarantine camp at Taftan, the country's border in Iran, a positive test.

"The peak is due to the people who came from Taftan. They were quarantined there, and then we transferred them to our own premises where we tested them."

Iran, one of the most affected by COVID-19, shares a border with Afghanistan and Pakistan, two SAARC member states.

Another member state, Sri Lanka, reported doubling the number of cases from 18 to 10 this week. While India has reported three deaths, there have not been any from other countries so far.

The spread of the virus may not be as endemic in South Asia, but the epidemic could have a more dangerous impact in the region, which is home to 23% of the world's population, due in particular to 39; an inadequate health infrastructure and poor response systems to health emergencies.

Difficult task

With the exception of a few, the countries of the region have overcrowded public transport and an overcrowded living environment for the poor, making social distance one of the best precautions against the spread of the virus, a very difficult task.

Meanwhile, tourism-oriented economies, like the Maldives, have started to feel the pinch and the Indian Ocean country is expected to see its tourist attendance decrease by 40% this year.

Given these challenges, it seems that leaders want to keep political differences at bay and fight the virus that is spreading exponentially in many parts of the world.

"Let us stand together in these difficult times and ensure the safety of our citizens," said Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

"Our collective efforts will help us develop a solid and solid strategy for the ASACR region to fight the coronavirus," said Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.

The author is a journalist based in New Delhi.