India's mantra for 2021 -- 'Dawai bhi aur kadaai bhi', says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Rajkot in Gujarat on Thursday morning.

PM Modi attended the function via video conferencing and also gave an address. "Bidding farewell to this year with a new health infrastructure reflects the difficulties we faced and also stands for the hope we have for the year,"?PM?Modi said. He further added that the last day 2020 is dedicated to all the healthcare workers who have put their life at stake to keep the nation safe throughout the year.

"This is the last day of the year to remember India's millions of doctors, health warriors, sanitation workers, drugstores, and other front line Corona Warriors. Today I salute the colleagues who have given their lives on the duty path," PM Modi said. Commenting on 2021, the Prime Minister said that 2020 has been a year of medical challenges but 2021 will be a year of health solutions. "'Swasthya hi sampada hai', the year 2020 has taught us this well. It has been a year full of challenges," added the PM. He also wished everyone a happy new year.

"The number of new cases of COVID19 infection in the country are decreasing now. We are preparing to run the world's largest vaccination program in the next year," PM Narendra Modi said in his address.

Speaking about the COVID-19 vaccines, PM Modi said that even though the COVID-19 vaccines have been invented and will reach the public soon, people should still take the precautionary measures against the coronavirus which were shared earlier in the year, especially as the nation celebrates the New Year. "Earlier, I said, 'Dawai (Medicine) nahi toh dheelai nahi'. Now, I am saying 'Dawai bhi aur kadaai (caution) bhi'. Our mantra for the year 2021 is 'Dawai bhi aur kadaai bhi'," PM Modi stated. The Prime Minister also warned against rumours related to the coronavirus and its vaccine.

"I appeal to the people of the country that fight against COVID-19 is the one against an unknown enemy. Be careful about such rumours and as responsible citizens refrain from forwarding messages on social media without checking," PM Narendra Modi added.

The Prime Minister stated that India has emerged as the nerve centre of global health and in 2020, India's role in healthcare has been strengthened. "A country such as India, which has a huge population, nearly 1 crore people have won their battles against coronavirus. India has fared much better than other countries in this field and the infection rate is also going down continuously," he said.

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