Indian leader tells Indian origin physicians their sacrifices will be remembered forever.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded the achievements and contributions of the Indian-origin physicians across the world in the battle against covid-19 saying their sacrifices will be remembered forever.
“I have closely followed your contributions, sacrificing your life to save that of others,” he said in an address to the first ever Virtual Global Summit of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) on Saturday.
“Some of you have made the ultimate sacrifice of giving up your own lives at the service of others. You will be remembered forever,” Modi was quoted as saying in an AAPI release.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude for being the warriors who are committed to save the lives of so many during the pandemic,” he said.
Turning to the situation in India, Modi told the summit that due to lockdown, many initiatives taken by his government and a people driven fight, India is much better placed than many other nations.
“As against the death rate of 350 per million in the US and over 600 per million in European nations like the UK, Italy and Spain, the rate of fatalities in India is less than 12,” he said.
Calling the Indian American Physicians as the “real heroes who have risked your lives and have been out to assist others,” Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu said there is widespread recognition of their contributions in the US.
Thanking AAPI for its support to the Indian Embassy in helping Indian students stranded in the US due to the pandemic, he said. “Your online Health Desk has helped many Indians in the US affected by the pandemic.”
Sandhu also praised AAPI for several charitable works in India.
AAPI president Dr. Suresh Reddy thanked Modi for his leadership and addressing the global summit of the largest ethnic association of the medical profession with a membership of over 100,000. The summit was held from June 16 to June 28.
AAPI members serve every 7th patient in the United States and every 5th patient in rural and inner cities across the nation, he noted.
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