#SalutingTheCovidHeroes Townhall: Amitabh Bachchan's Top 5 Quotes
Commending the spirit, dedication and selfless service of the medical staff and healthcare workers, Banega Swasth India Campaign Ambassador, Amitabh Bachchan called them the backbone of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are top 5 quotes of Amitabh Bachchan from the #SalutingTheCovidHeroes Townhall, organised to honour ordinary people who made extraordinary contribution through their selfless service, during the COVID-19 second wave
'Every day, healthcare workers not just come and do their work medically but come and encourage the patient, give them hope. Even though they know reports and they know things are going wrong somewhere, they will never say that to you. All they will say is, your reports are looking good, you are doing well and somehow one just feels nice about it.'
Nearly 20 lakh children live on the streets of India, without an identity, a name to call their own, a place to call home, sleeping on empty stomachs for days and nights. These twenty lakh are children, who have dreams, who have rights, who are our tomorrow. They are living in the shadows today.
During these unprecedented times, not everyone can afford the privilege of social distancing. And not everybody can stay home during the lockdown, simply because they don’t have a home. Those living in poverty are extremely vulnerable, struck with a sudden lack of funds, food, mobility and a struggle for survival. And, as with all humanitarian crises, it is the children who have been affected the most.
It is always the children on the street who are subjected to some of the harshest realities of life. Today they are battling a catastrophic crisis, and it’s time we step in to protect them.
As a part of our COVID-19 response, Save the Children is working across various regions and has already directly reached over 18,000 children and adults to cover their basic needs. The organisation is ensuring their daily needs and their dignity and hygiene are also being cared for. Save the Children has identified 2.5 lakh children in cohorts, across 10 cities in India. Reaching out to these children with emergency relief is a top priority. But this cannot be done alone.
Save the Children and NDTV join hands to bring focus to the lives of children living in street situations. As India fights the Coronavirus, we must not forget one of the most marginalised and excluded groups whose lives have been long ignored – street-connected children. The 21-day campaign will generate public interest and raise funds to ensure these 20 Lakh+ children who live, earn, sleep and eat on our streets are cared for and protected. Amidst the crisis the world is facing, they are most vulnerable, exposed to infection and disease.