Doctors of Indian origin across the world have joined hands under the umbrella of Global Indian Physician COVID-19 Collaborative' to combat coronavirus which has engulfed 185 countries and claimed over one lakh lives.
The move aims to "foster cross systems learning" to develop prevention and management strategy for COVID-19 which will include encompassing vaccination, newer diagnostic tests, ventilation strategies, early warning algorithms to identify deterioration, use of antiviral therapy, plasma therapy and novel agents, a statement from the collaborative said.
"In my 65 years as a doctor, I have never seen what we are seeing today and I am sure that the world as we know, will never be the same again. But, COVID-19 has also made us aware that we can form a united force to take on any challenge by breaking the barriers that we have erected," Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group and Founder President, Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO) said.
The Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GAPIO), American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), Canada India Network Society (CINS) and Canadian Association of Physicians of Indian Heritage (CAPIH) have come together for the collaboration.
The collaborative will hold its first meeting through video conferencing on Saturday, Ramesh Mehta, President, BAPIO said.
The experts will share their experiences and discuss strategies to halt the spread of the virus, he said. With the United States having the highest number of coronavirus cases, the learnings from there can help others, Suresh Reddy, President, AAPI said.
COVID-19 has presented a unique opportunity for 1.4 million physicians of Indian origin working across the globe to come together and be at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19, as we have done on many occasions in the past. The world is looking up to us for solutions, Anupam Sibal, President GAPIO, said.
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According to John Hopkins Corona Virus Resource Centre, over 17 lakh people in 185 countries have been contracted with novel coronavirus which has claimed over one lakh lives globally.
With over five lakh confirmed cases of COVID- 19, the United States is leading the global tally of patients, the data says.
In India, the total number of coronavirus cases increased to 7,447 on Saturday, with 1,035 cases reported within last 24 days.
A total of 239 deaths have been reported so far across the country, a health ministry official has said. He said 642 persons have recovered in the country.
The Centre had imposed a 21-day lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus as social distancing is possibly the only way to prevent people from contracting the deadly virus.