Welcome to our August 15, 2021 Digital Edition
Venkat Raman
August 19, 2021
People who attended the Eleventh Annual Indian Newslink Lecture on Monday, August 16, 2021 at Mahatma Gandhi Centre, located at Eden Terrace in Auckland considered themselves extremely fortunate. For, they had a rare opportunity to hearing Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield speak about the Covid-19 pandemic and the challenges that it continues to pose to the government.
Humility personified
A humble and friendly person, Dr Bloomfield demonstrated why he is popular with not only his colleagues, politicians and superiors but also with ordinary New Zealanders. As well as explaining at length how he and his colleagues at the Health Ministry, Public Health Organisations, District Health Boards and the health sector, in general, have been managing the pandemic since it started raging more than 20 months ago, he met everyone with a smile and posed for photographs with hundreds of people.
“He is a wonderful person. I will cherish the event and the photograph forever. Dr Ashley Bloomfield is our national treasure,” many guests said.
There was no dissent.
Invitation to Collective Action
Delivering the Indian Newslink Lecture 2021, Dr Bloomfield said, “Our Communication Campaign, ‘Stay home, Save lives, Be kind,’ was an invitation to Collective Action, which was met with immense public support as people answered the greater call of saving others in the community. Many organisations and groups mobilised resources immediately to assist those in need and people made sure that they were looking around for anyone who needed help. That made us a success story as a Nation.”
He also recalled how every department around the country worked relentlessly to make things look seamless.
“From Wage Subsidy and Covid Tracer App Rollout to housing the homeless and keeping Covid out of the prison systems, every little effort and achievement contributed to the greater picture of success,” Dr Bloomfield said.
A household name
Reporting the proceedings of the Lecture, our Correspondent Praneeta Kochhar Mahajan said that the Lecture was a much-anticipated event, with interest evinced by people across communities in New Zealand. His clear and honest communications to the people of New Zealand at the daily media briefings along with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last year as Covid-19 threatened its vicious spread, made him a household name and a ‘National Hero.’
“Dr Bloomfield shared the lessons that he learnt through the pandemic and reminisced about life before Covid-19 and the events that followed the first positive case that was diagnosed on February 28, 2020.”
We have provided extensive coverage of the Lecture in our August 15, 2021 Digital Edition, which was understandably held over for the event. We have the usual departments, including Current Affairs, Politics, Education, Opinion, our Special Leader, Business, Community, Entertainment and Sports. Please read and share with your friends and colleagues.
With Greetings from the Indian Newslink Team. Pictures by Narendra Bedekar, Creative Eye Fotographics
