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PM interacts with NDRF personnel involved in ‘Operation Dost’
The Army medical team deployed under Operation Dost in Turkey returned on 20 February India after finishing successful relief operation in quake-hit Turkey. India launched ‘Operation Dost’ to aid in search-and-rescue in Turkey and Syria following deadly earthquakes that struck on February 6 and claimed over 46,000 lives to date. The 99-member self-contained team successfully set up and ran a fully equipped 30-bedded Field Hospital in Iskenderun, Hatay, attended nearly 4,000 patients.
The team has won the hearts and minds of the Turkish people. “The patients were very thankful as their health care system was not functioning at the max so they were kind of very grateful to the nation and the team that we are there and providing the necessary medical assistance,” MEA informed via tweet.
The Prime Minister interacted with the National Disaster Response Force personnel involved in ‘Operation Dost’ in earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria.
Addressing the personnel, the Prime Minister lauded them for their great work in ‘Operation Dost’ in earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria. The Prime Minister elaborated on the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. The Prime Minister said in Turkey and Syria the Indian team reflected the spirit of the entire world being one family for us.
Highlighting the importance of quick response time during a natural calamity, the Prime Minister referred to the ‘Golden Hour’ and said that the speedy response of the NDRF team in Turkey drew the attention of the entire world. He said that the quick response highlights the preparedness and training skills of the team.
Recalling the images of a mother who blessed the members of the team for their efforts, the Prime Minister noted the pride that every Indian felt after witnessing every image of rescue and relief operations that was carried out in the affected areas. The Prime Minister underlined the unmatched professionalism and the human touch and said that it plays a crucial role when a person is dealing with trauma and has lost everything. The Prime Minister also praised the acts of compassion shown by the team.
Remembering the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat and recalling his time as a volunteer there, the Prime Minister underlined the difficulty of the task of removing rubble and finding people below that and how the entire medical system was hit as the hospital itself had collapsed in Bhuj.
The Prime Minister also recalled the Machhu Dam tragedy in 1979. “On the basis of my experiences in these calamities, I can appreciate your hard work, spirit and emotions. Today I salute you all.”, the Prime Minister said.
He underlined that those who are capable of helping themselves are called self-sufficient but those who have the capability to help others in their time of need are called selfless. This, he said, applies not only to individuals but to nations also. That is why in the past few years India has nurtured its selflessness along with its self-sufficiency.