Bill Gates, Dr Sania Nishtar discuss key foundation partnerships in Pakistan

Special Assistant to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Social Protection and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Sania Nishtar met Bill Gates, co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to discuss pressing health and development needs in Pakistan.

The meeting took place in Washington on Monday.

The Gates Foundation is a major supporter of global health and development around the world. In Pakistan, much of the foundation’s work to-date has been focused on eradicating polio, new vaccines introduction, and immunization strengthening.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries that are still reporting cases of the deadly wild polio virus.

In the meeting, Dr. Sania Nishtar and Bill Gates discussed key foundation partnerships in Pakistan including the polio eradication program, routine immunization and improving access to digital financial services for the poor.

Pakistan is a leader in South Asia in using mobile money accounts. The Gates Foundation is supporting the expansion of this work through its local partner Karandaaz. This involves assisting the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) chaired by Dr. Sania Nishtar to explore upcoming opportunities in the digital financial services space to further support the needs of low-income communities. This would focus largely on health, education and livelihood challenges faced by BISP beneficiaries.

Dr. Sania Nishtar and Bill also discussed innovative ways of addressing stunting and malnutrition in young children which is a high priority area for the Government of Pakistan.

The foundation will share research and best practices with the Government of Pakistan around addressing malnutrition to support the Prime Minister’s multi-sectoral nutrition initiative being implemented under the Ehsaas poverty alleviation program.

The Foundation remains committed to supporting the government and people of Pakistan in their mutual goal of alleviating poverty and improving health outcomes in the country.