KUWAIT CITY, April 18: The Embassy of India in Kuwait, in association with the Indian Professionals Network (IPN) Kuwait felicitated the Indian Doctors Forum (IDF) Kuwait – a group of Indian doctors who partnered with the embassy in offering free medical tele-consultations to Indians in Kuwait during the peak period of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The event was held under the title ‘Felicitation of Indian Doctors: Covid- 19 Warriors’ in a largely virtual event on April 17, 2021. Speaking on the occasion, the Ambassador of India to Kuwait H.E. Sibi George said the event was a really special event as it was to felicitate and honor the Covid-19 warriors, especially the doctors who wholeheartedly served the Indian community during the hour of crisis, going beyond their call of duty.

Referring to the doctors as an embodiment of the indomitable human spirit, ambassador stated that felicitation was just a small gesture from the part of the embassy to express heartfelt gratitude. The Indian envoy also highlighted that the event was also a brainstorming session on what the embassy, in association with the community could do together to help the community to face the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ambassador announced the IDF has once again volunteered to provide free medical advice and counseling support via tele-consultations to the Indians living and working in Kuwait. He confirmed a new panel of Indian doctors from different specialties has been specifically formed for this purpose. Further details related to the teleconsultation are expected to be released by the embassy in due course, including general instructions for tele-consultations, timings for these consultations, contact details of panel doctors, Indian languages spoken by the panel doctors and so on. The ambassador encourages the Indians in Kuwait to avail of this facility. Dr. Amir Ahmed, President of the Indian Doctors Forum, also addressed the audience on this occasion and shed light on the activities of the IDF and how and to what extent the IDF has been serving the Indian community.

The felicitation ceremony was followed by a brainstorming session through which expert insights were drawn from the experiences of medical experts in tackling the current Covid- 19 situation and associated repercussions including on mental health. Medical experts rendered practical suggestions and sound medical advice on how to, individually and/or collectively, effectively deal and fight this pandemic in the coming days. During the course of the event, an on-the spot quiz competition focusing on Covid-19 was conducted for young student participants. The event generated a tremendous response with hundreds of people from different walks of life in Kuwait participating virtually. “We at the embassy will do everything we can to help support the community in this crisis period.

Despite all the challenges we continue our consular services. We had a few cases of infections in the embassy, we managed it pretty well, we tested them multiple times, we treated them, we home quarantined them, we did contact tracing, but we made it a point that our consular services and community welfare efforts continue. “It makes each of my officers and staff in the consular and community welfare wings and every member of the mission a Covid-19 warrior. I thank ICSG for the proactive role they continue to play with our many Indian associations and groups to ensure that no one goes hungry.

“I thank the Indian Doctors’ Forum, its President Dr. Amir Ahmed, its immediate past President Dr. Surinder Nayak, who was the president when the teleconsultation group was formed, former presidents, office bearers and senior doctors who joined the event. “I thank IDF for its humanitarian efforts and its many endeavors in supporting the Indian community, including its efforts to fight the pandemic,” the Indian envoy said. The event provided a unique opportunity for participants to learn about strategies on effective Covid-19 handling coming directly from the medical community. For more details about the event, please visit the website and social media handles of the embassy.