The Co-Chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Bill Gates has expressed commitment to continue supporting polio effort, and offered support to Pakistan in the area of innovations in health and strengthening mother and child care and reproductive health.
In a meeting with the Federal Health Minister Saira Afzal Tarar in Abu Dhabi, Bill Gates Bill Gates lauded the leadership of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for his personal attention and oversight in making the polio eradication effort successful.
Bill Gates expressed appreciation for the role Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar was playing in steering the polio effort and introducing major reforms in the health sector.
During the meeting, both sides nominated focal persons to carry forward the collaboration between Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Pakistani government and finalize details.
Dr. Hassan was nominated from Bill and Melina Gates Foundation whereas Dr. Assad Hafeez Director General Health was nominated as focal person from the Ministry of National Health Services.
Saira Afzal Tarar informed Bill Gates that Pakistan is monitoring heightened vigilance with the aim of simultaneously raising performance across the current hotspots where the virus is still circulating.
The minister said under our new Prime Minister, the National Task Force in August reaffirmed Polio eradication as high national priority. She said that the commitment of provincial governments has given us a strong start to the low season with quality national and sub-national campaigns in September and October respectively.
Our frontline workers are the backbone of our programme and supporting them on ground remains our key priority, the minister said adding that our armed forces continue to provide a safe and supportive environment for the conduct of campaigns.
The health minister emphasized that polio eradication in Pakistan enjoys broad based political support and is seen as a national imperative. She said that this ensures sustainability of the initiative and this program will continue through any political shifts or changes with a strong administrative base which is already supporting the programme.
