The Samikhsya North East Bureau
GUWAHATI: While more than 650 journalists died of Covid-19 in 60 countries during the last 10 months, India has consolidated its position by avoiding any such death since December 15.
At present, India stands as the fourth corona affected country with 53 media casualties behind Peru (95), Brazil (66) and Mexico (54).
During the period, Bangladesh has lost 43 media persons followed by Ecuador (42), Italy (38), USA (33), Pakistan (22), Turkey (17), UK (14), Panama (11) and Bolivia (9), stated Blaise Lempen, General Secretary of Press Emblem Campaign (PEC).
Deploring that many journo-deaths due to Covid-19 complications around the world could have been prevented, the PEC insists on necessary financial assistance to the victim-families by the concerned nations.
Appreciating India’s massive Covid-19 vaccination program, it observed that the media workers should get priority access to immunization upon request.
India, in the first phase, decided to vaccinate 30 million people with New Delhi approved Oxford-Astra Zeneca’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.
Later the drive will cover 10 times more populace in the second phase, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed as high as the population of only three countries -China, India and the US – with 300 million.
“Two journalists died of Covid-19 aggravated ailments on December 15 last. However, since then no such loss of life has been reported,” said Nava Thakuria, PEC’s country contributor.
it is as satisfactory as surprising, he added.
He hoped that New Delhi’s latest welfare initiatives for the families of the corona victims from the media fraternity would be exercised with utmost sincerity.
