Indian Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan
Indian Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan has termed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the torchlight of democracy and a bold social reformer.
Vardhan, who arrived here with a high-profile delegation on Monday on a five-day visit to attend the 32nd meeting of the Health Ministers of WHO South-East Asia Region and 67th Session of WHO Regional Conference, also described Hasina as ‘very modest and gentle.’
“Felt honoured to meet Smt. Sheikh Hasina, the PM of Bangladesh, today, the torchlight of democracy, bold social reformer, yet very modest and gentle,” he tweeted after meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In another tweet, he wrote, “Sad that my Dhaka visit has coincided with the death of the great singer Feroza Begum today. Her popularity was pan south Asia. RIP her soul.”
This was the first visit of the Indian Health Minister to Bangladesh and the third by a member of the Cabinet of the India government which assumed office on May 26, 2014, said an official on Sunday.
During his visit, Indian Health Minister Harsh Vardhan met Hasina and also held discussions with his Bangladesh counterpart Mohammed Nasim on furthering bilateral health sector cooperation.
The two sides also signed an MoU on Cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy.
Vardhan, himself a medical doctor, has significant contributions to India’s health sector.
As the Health Minister of India, his efforts in 1996 to eradicate Polio were a success which won widespread appreciation. In March 2014, India was declared polio-free by the WHO, as there had been no reported cases for three years.
Vardhan has won several national and international awards, including two of Rotary International, WHO Director General’s Commendation Medal 1998, and ‘Doctor of the last Decade’ by Indian Medical Association, 2002.
Source: Prothom Alo
