United Hatzalah has been working together with the AJC Global Jewish Advocacy to build a community-based EMS response model in India. The two organizations aim to build a similar first responders model to the one that has been so effective in Israel. In order to further that goal, United Hatzalah’s Founder and President Eli Beer, met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India last week, during the latter’s visit to Israel. The meeting lasted for about 20 minutes, during which Beer illustrated how the United Hatzalah model could be used in congested cities, as well as hard to reach outlying areas in India.

“The meeting was very exciting for me,” said Eli Beer. “We had a meaningful discussion in which I explained our model that has community-based responders who receive proper training and a full complement of medical supplies, enabling them to go out and respond to medical emergencies in their neighborhoods long before an ambulance can arrive on scene. With the congested streets that are characteristic of many of India’s cities, and large segments of the population who live in areas with difficult terrain, having local volunteer responders in India could save many lives.”

Beer came out of the meeting pleasantly surprised by the amount of interest that Prime Minister Modi had shown for Israel. “It was clear to see from talking to him just how much of a deep interest Modi had for Israel and how eager he was to build a stronger relationship between the two countries. The Prime Minister went on at length about how much he loved Israeli innovation. He told that he had been waiting for many years to come to Israel and was happy that he was able to be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel.”

According to Beer, Prime Minister Modi was especially impressed with the sheer amount of Israel’s social innovations. “He told me that he always knew how Israel was very advanced in technological innovations, but never knew that social innovations such as United Hatzalah were so prevalent in Israel as well.”

Following the meeting, Prime Minister Modi spoke positively of the EMS model and said that he would love to have something similar in India. The AJC then announced that they will be working together with United Hatzalah to develop a model that would best fit the country’s needs.

Beer’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi was one of a number of private meetings that the President held in Jerusalem’s King David Hotel.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)