Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Bill Gates, the founder and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), in Riyadh on Monday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Special Meeting. Both leaders had earlier participated in a high-level panel discussion at the WEF, called 'Redefining the Global Health Agenda'. The PM expressed gratitude to Gates for his heartfelt letter of congratulations upon his reelection. He also reaffirmed his commitment to working closely with Gates to ensure a stronger partnership between Pakistan and the Gates Foundation, while reminiscing fondly of their interactions during his previous tenure. According to PM Shehbaz, Pakistan is making every effort to completely eradicate polio. He expressed gratitude to the BMGF for its long-standing support of Pakistan's polio eradication efforts and stated that all partners needed to put in consistent effort to eventually achieve a polio-free Pakistan.

Bill Gates recalled the immunization and polio vaccine program in Punjab, which was run by Shehbaz in his capacity as the chief minister. He emphasized the need to replicate this strategy nationwide in order to ensure the success of the immunization program. Gates praised Pakistan's efforts and stated that the elimination of polio was essential to shielding future generations from this debilitating illness. Besides polio, PM Shehbaz and Gates talked about the progress of ongoing initiatives involving Pakistan and the Bill Gates Foundation in the fields of nutrition, financial inclusion, and immunization. Shehbaz praised the Gates Foundation as a reliable ally in Pakistan's socioeconomic advancement and called for cooperation in other fields, such as disaster relief, STEM education, and IT. The PM invited Mr. Gates to return to Pakistan at a time of his choosing, recalling his February 2022 visit.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan