RCSS Webinar of June 2021: “The Public Healthcare System and the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Asia”

RCSS successfully concluded the monthly webinar on “The Public healthcare System and the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Asia”, which was held on 16th June at 3.00 PM. More than 30 participants actively engaged in the discussion after the four panelists of the webinar made their lucid and well-informed Presen-tations. The panelists were: Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe Community Physician and Chief Epidemiologist at the Min-istry of Health, Sri Lanka; Prof. Ka-rori Singh, Former Director and Emeritus Fellow, South Asia Studies Centre, University of Rajastan, Jai-pur, India; Dr. Nishchal Pandey, Di-
rector, Centre for South Asian Stud-ies, Kathmandu, Nepal; Prof. Moonis Ahmer, Meritorious Professor, De-partment of International Relations, University of Karachchi, Pakistan. Prof. Gamini Keerawella (Professor Emeritus, University of Peradeniya) the Executive Director of RCSS, moderated the webinar. Some of the main points discussed included the need for an integrative health care approach asa response to the pan-demic; elimination of undue political influence in decision making in the healthcare sector; overcoming lack of planning in the responses to the pandemic; need of timely interven-
tions by the civil society; and the need of the regional cooperation to successfully counter health issues of this nature in South Asia.