ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif spoke on telephone today with Mr. Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The ongoing public health and social sector programmes supported by BMGF in Pakistan were discussed, including polio eradication and the Foundation’s support towards improving immunisation, nutrition and financial inclusion services in Pakistan.
The Prime Minister underscored that Pakistan deeply values its cooperation with BMGF. He reaffirmed 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. While noting that only one case of polio was recorded in 2021, the Prime Minister stressed that his Government remained committed to eradicate all forms of polio from the country.
The Prime Minister expressed grave concern on the first case of poliovirus in 2022, after 15 months, which was recently confirmed in a child in North Waziristan. He noted that a special emergency response plan for South Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province is already under implementation to scale up and improve the quality of the polio eradication programme and increase security of frontline health workers.
Mr. Gates acknowledged the positive progress and reiterated the Foundation’s continued support to Pakistan for ensuring that no child is at risk of paralysis due to poliovirus.
Recalling the polio related challenges faced by Afghanistan, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction on the resumption of polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan. He underlined the need for adequate international support to Afghanistan in that regard.
The Prime Minister and Mr. Gates also exchanged views on Pakistan’s COVID-19 vaccination drive. Moreover, they discussed BMGF’s support for various other government-led programmes aimed at addressing malnutrition and stunting, essential immunisation services, operationalisation of micropayment gateways financial inclusion, and digitization of the National Savings Programme.
Making Pakistan polio-free
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his government’s strong commitment for eradication of polio from the country.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Shehbaz Sharif said there would be zero tolerance for any laxity in the national fight against polio. He said, “Our anti-polio drive will now focus on the districts of South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa particularly, Bannu and North and South Waziristan.”
Sharif said the best performing officials would be acknowledged and recognised as national heroes.
On April 23, Pakistan had reported its first case after a span of 15 months in North Waziristan on Friday. A 15-month old boy was found paralysed by the wild poliovirus on April 22 in North Waziristan.
After celebrating the polio free milestone for over a year, Pakistan national polio laboratory had confirmed the virus in the patient. Shehbaz Sharif had expressed deep concerns over the case in the country and requested the concerned authorities to compile a detailed report on the causes. The PM had also issued instructions to formulate a strategy for the rapid eradication of poliovirus from the country.
