Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on 23rd May 2020 took charge as the chairman of World Health Organisation (WHO) Executive Board, according to officials.
While talking to reporters after his election, Dr. Vardhan said he understood the critical moment at which he is taking up this post. He said, "I am aware that I am entering this office at a time of global crisis due to this pandemic. At a time, when we all understand that there would be many health challenges in the next two decades. All these challenges demand a shared response".
Discussing India's response to this pandemic, Dr. Vardhan said "India faced Covid -19 in a proactive & pre-emptive way, with unmatched scale & determination. Today we have a mortality of 3 percent only. And in a country of 1.35 billion, there are just 0.1 million cases of COVID-19."
Elaborating about the high recovery rate in the country, the health minister said "The recovery rate is above 40 percent and the doubling rate is thirteen days."
Vardhan's elevation to the chairmanship of the 34-member WHO Executive Board has come amid growing calls, including by American President Donald Trump, to examine how Covid-19 originated in China's Wuhan city & subsequent action by Beijing.
The number of active Coronavirus cases in India stood at 66,330 while 48,533 people have recovered and 1 patient has migrated.
On 22 May 2020, India recorded the biggest single-day spike of 6,088 coronavirus cases, while the death toll because of the virus has climbed to 3,583.
