PM, Bill Gates discuss COVID-19, polio vaccination drive

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday spoke to Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation discussed with him the latest situation on COVID-19 response and resumption of polio vaccination campaigns in Pakistan.

During the conversation, the prime minister apprised Bill Gates of improved COVID-19 situation in Pakistan with considerable reduction in new cases and the fatality rate.

The prime minister shared that the “smart lockdowns” policy of the government has proven to be very effective. The timely and prudent interventions, he noted, enabled the government to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on health and economy had successfully averted a larger catastrophe.

The prime minister acknowledged the Gates Foundation’s continued support to Pakistan which includes COVID-19 response. He noted that the re-purposing of polio infrastructure played an important role in COVID-19 response. The prime minister reaffirmed polio eradication as a key priority of the government.

Both the PM and Bill Gates said they are encouraged to see that polio vaccination campaigns have been able to restart with appropriate COVID-19 precautions. They agreed to enhance the programme to ensure vaccination for all children, including in the remote areas. They discussed how using existing structures that are supporting COVID-19, such as the National Command Operation Center, could help support polio eradication efforts.

The prime minister expressed his confidence in Pakistan’s ability to apply lessons from its COVID-19 response to eradicate polio.

Gates acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts to combat the pandemic while protecting the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable populations. Prime Minister Imran Khan and Gates agreed to continue their cooperation on shared priorities.