UN Honours Kerala Health Min KK Shailaja for Fight Against COVID

Shailaja was among those honoured for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic when the UN celebrated Public Service Day.

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja spoke on the state’s strategy to handle the pandemic.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@shailajateacher)

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja on Tuesday, 23 June, was among those honoured for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic when the United Nations celebrated the Public Service Day.

The function, held on a virtual platform, saw the participation of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and other top UN dignitaries who applauded all the leaders, including Shailaja, for effectively tackling COVID-19.

Speaking on the occasion, KK Shailaja noted that the experiences of tackling Nipah virus and the two floods – 2018 and 2019 – where the health sector played a crucial role, all helped in tackling COVID-19 in a timely manner.

“Right from the time when COVID cases got reported in Wuhan, Kerala got into the track of the WHO and followed every standard operating protocols and international norms and hence, we have been able to keep the contact spread rate to below 12.5 percent and the mortality rate to 0.6 percent.”

KK Shailaja, Health Minister, Kerala 

The moderator, Odette Ramsingh, reportedly hailed the Kerala health minister for low mortality rates in the state due to early intervention.

Shailaja explained the three strategies adopted by the state to tackle the pandemic included, “Trace, Quarantine, Test, Isolate and Treat”, “Break the Chain” and “Reverse Quarantine.”

(With inputs from IANS)