Shehbaz-Gates interaction: Pak, Gates Foundation pledge to continue fight against polio

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s premier Shehbaz Sharif and tech giant-cum-philanthropist Bill Gates reaffirmed the commitment to wage a joint fight against polio in Pakistan while they were interacting via phone call.

Both of the dignitaries discussed the ongoing public health and social sector programmes supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that included polio eradication, improving immunisation and nutrition, operationalisation of micro-payment gateways financial inclusion, and digitisation of the National Savings Programme in Pakistan.

The PM Shehbaz regarded BMGF’s valuable services for the country and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to further solidifying its fruitful partnership with the Foundation in all the ongoing areas of work. “Pakistan has maintained progress towards polio eradication and appreciates the invaluable assistance provided by BMGF in that regard,” stated the statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The PM noted that only one case of polio was recorded in 2021, and expressed the firm commitment of his government to make the country polio-free. Expressing concern on the new case of polio-virus after a gap of 15 months in North Waziristan, PM Shehbaz said that the special emergency response plan for south Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province was already under implementation to scale up and improve the quality of polio eradication programme and to increase security of front-line health workers.

During the interaction, Bill Gates reiterated his foundation’s continued support to Pakistan for ensuring that “no child is at risk of paralysis due to polio-virus.” They also exchanged views on Pakistan’s Covid-19 vaccination drive.