PM Modi calls Army veteran after reading his social media post

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reached out to former Northern Army Commander Lt Gen D S Hooda promising support after the veteran soldier drew the Prime Minister’s attention to the availability of a new anti-cancer drug through social media.

The medicine – not yet available in India but approved by the US Food and Drug Administration – would have benefitted Sushma Hooda, a cancer patient and Lt Gen Hooda’s sister and many other patients.

“Received a call from @PMOIndia (Prime Minister’s Office) and spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who expressed concern over the case. Truly humbled and honoured on receiving his call and his words that the case would be looked into. Proud to be an Indian and even prouder of the PM’s personal intervention,” tweeted Lt Gen Hooda.

The message led to widespread appreciation for PM Modi and his humane gesture on social media.

Earlier in the day, the former Army Commander retweeted a message from his sister.

“There is hope for us now as the USFDA has tested and approved as first-line treatment a new drug called Sacituzumab Govitecan (Trodelvy) in April 2021. Also, the European Medicine Agency has approved it for medical use in November 2021,” she wrote, requesting Modi to expedite the approval and purchase of the drug in the Indian market to grant a lease of life to her and several others who have exhausted all other options of treatment.

Lt Gen Hooda retweeted his sister’s tweet tagging the Prime Minister’s office and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. “I start this tweet by admitting that I have a personal interest. Sushma Hooda is my sister, a cancer patient of several years with dwindling hope. Keeping sentiments aside, approval of the new drug may give a fighting chance of survival to many like her.”

One of the brains behind the Indian Army’s “surgical strike” across the Line of Control in September 2016, the General Officer retired on November 30 in the same year after a 40-year long service.

In February 2019, in the run up to General election, he headed a task force set up by then Congress president Rahul Gandhi to prepare a vision paper on national security challenges.

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