PM Imran Khan, Bill Gates discuss polio eradication campaign

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan and Microsoft founder Bill Gates had a telephonic conversation and exchanged views on the polio eradication campaign.

According to details, PM Imran Khan apprised the philanthropist of the efforts being made to eradicate polio in Pakistan and appreciated the cooperation of Bill and Melinda Gates in eradicating the deadly disease.

PM Imran Khan said that the number of polio cases in Pakistan has come down significantly but efforts are still being made to tackle the disease. The federal government is committed to eradicating polio across the country, he said.

Bill Gates praised PM Imran Khan and the federal government for their efforts against polio. He also assured that Bill and Melinda Gates’ program and support for polio eradication would continue. “We want to protect children from polio,” he said.

The prime minister and Bill Gates expressed concern regarding the health system in Afghanistan. They discussed the importance of resumption of polio campaigns in Afghanistan to stop the disease and protect Pakistan’s recent gains towards ending polio.

PM Imran Khan highlighted that more than half of the population in Afghanistan was living below poverty line and in dire need of financial assistance. He asked Bill Gates to consider providing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

Earlier, PM Imran Khan had demanded easy disbursement of loans to poor, backward, and developing countries affected by the coronavirus and distribution of vaccines on the basis of equality.

Addressing the fourth session of the 15th session of the UNCTAD, the prime minister said yesterday that the devastating effects of epidemics had hit the global economy hard and the economies of developing countries had shrunk.