NEW DELHI, Sept 12, 2019 (BSS)) – India today called for devising ways to effectively deal with the new threats of bio-terrorism a “contagious plague” posed to soldiers by the ever advancing battle field technology.
“Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) of SCO countries should devise ways to effectively deal with the new threats of bio-terrorism posed by advancing battle field technologies,” said Indian defense minister Rajnath Singh here today.
“The threat of nuclear, chemical and biological warfare adds to the complexity of the existing challenges and AFMS plays a vital role in identifying those challenges, defining the limits of human tolerance and suggesting strategies to mitigate the adverse health effects,” he said.
The minister said this while inaugurating the first ever conference of Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) Countries on Military Medicine here, according to official sources.
SCO is the largest regional organisation in the world in terms of geographical coverage and population. SCO countries cover 22 per cent of the land mass, 40 per cent population and contribute to 20 per cent of world’s GDP.
The two-day conference is being held with an aim to share best practices in the field of military medicine. This is the first military co-operation event to be organised in the country under the SCO after it joined the organisation in 2017.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister also underlined the importance of building capabilities to deal with the menace of bio-terrorism, terming it as a real threat the world is facing today.
He described bio-terrorism as a “contagious plague” and asked the armed forces to be at the forefront of combating the menace.
Rajnath asked AFMS to have a clear, effective and rehearsed protocol with respect to casualty management strategies.
“The protocols and strategies need to be devised taking into account not just the peculiarities of the operating environment and the nature of operations, but also competence and capabilities of AFMS,” he said.
The minister also suggested co-operation among countries during disasters to ensure that timely assistance reaches those in need even across international borders.
Identifying “Patient Safety” as another area which needs to be further strengthened, he stressed on the need for awareness on healthy practices of patient safety that will greatly enhance the combat effectiveness of military services.
Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to Chairman, Chief of Staff Committee, Lt Gen P. S. Rajeshwar, Chairperson of SCO Major Gen Krainyuko Pavel Yevgeniyevich of Russia, Director General, AFMS, Lt Gen Bipin Puri, Deputy Chief Integrated Defence Service (Medical) Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Ranyal, delegates from SCO Member states and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.