While the national capital is all set to showcase its rich culture to the world at the G20 Summit 2023, some global leaders are dealing with health concerns.

When US First Lady Jill Biden, 72, tested positive for Covid-19 recently, it was feared US President Joe Biden had also caught the virus. However, Biden, 80, was tested for the virus but his results were negative. “The President will travel to New Delhi to attend the G20 leader’s summit,” said US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at a White House news conference. The US President is not experiencing any symptom of the disease. As per the safety protocols, he will be “masking while indoors and around people in alignment with CDC guidelines”. Read here.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will appear at the G20 summit with an eye patch. Scholz fell while jogging. He had tweeted a pirate-style picture of himself with a black eye patch and dark-red bruises on the right side of his face. According to a Bild newspaper report, during this period, the skin around the chancellor’s eye will change several shades.  Bild said the idea to wear a bandage came from Scholz himself, who refused to use any cosmetics and wanted the wound to “heal in peace”. Read here.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is scheduled to undergo a hip surgery to treat chronic femoral pain by the end of September. The Brazilian president, who recently underwent an infiltration in his hip to relieve the pain, is all set to attend the summit. “When I get back I’m going to host the president of Vietnam on the 26th, and then I’m going to get ready for the Brazi surgery,” he told Reuters.

Medical measures

According to a Times of India report,  the Centre has created a state-of-the-art medical emergency facility within the premises of Mandapam. It will be manned by health officers, including specialist doctors and nurses, chosen from various public hospitals. Also, special arrangements have been made at AIIMS and Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital for providing emergency medical treatment. Primary health care will also be provided at the hotels.

Over 100 ambulances will be positioned at strategic locations across the national capital. Five government hospitals and three private medical facilities in the national capital have been put on “high alert” in view of the summit.