Morung Express News
Kohima | July 18
In a proud moment for Nagaland, the State of New Mexico has declared July 19, 2021 as “Dr Jonathan Iralu Day” throughout the state of New Mexico for the invaluable service of Nagaland-born physician during the darkest days of the pandemic.
Dr Jonathan Vilasier Iralu is the grandson of Dr Sevilie Iralu and son of Dr Vichazelhu Iralu from Khonoma village. He attended Yale University and Harvard Medical School and has a specialty in Infectious Diseases. Dr Iralu has been serving at Gallup Indian Medical Center in New Mexico since 1994.
While being placed in the world’s most affected country, he had told The Morung Express in an exclusive interview last May that COVID-19 has heavily impacted the United States in general, including American Indian people more specifically, but that Navajo Nation has responded courageously to this challenge by working to “flatten the curve”.
Dr Jonathan Iralu “established a drive-thru COVID testing operation weeks before the first confirmed COVID-19 case in New Mexico,” according to the proclamation signed by the Governor of the State of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham. It also stated that Iralu has been proactive since the outset of the pandemic in taking measures to protect the people of New Mexico.
As the pandemic progressed, it further said, “he demonstrated exemplary service and leadership by delivering timely, high-quality COVID-19 patient care to members of New Mexico’s Tribes, Nations and Pueblos and he has been an invaluable advocate for his community and has provided a great service to the Medical Advisory Team and the State.”
The proclamation also highlighted that “the perseverance and vigilance of countless New Mexicans has made a difference in our State’s fight against COVID-19” and “one of the individuals who has contributed to the success in our State against this deadly virus is Jonathan Iralu, MD, FACP, FISDA, the Indian Health Service Chief Clinical Consultant for Infectious Diseases.”
Dr Iralu is an instructor at Harvard Medical School and also serves as a senior physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital Division of Global Equity in Boston, Massachusetts.
