*ISLAMABAD: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates reiterated the pledge of hisBill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the continued support to eliminatepolio from Pakistan, in a letter written to Prime Minister Imran Khan.*
The letter of Bill Gates, dated August 16, 2019, reaffirmed to work withthe relevant authorities in Pakistan to eradicate the crippling virus fromthe country.
“Currently, I’m concerned with the polio situation in Pakistan… Largenumbers of children in key reservoirs continue to be missed during poliocampaigns, in large part due to sub-optimal management and increasedcommunity resistance to vaccination – all of which is allowing the virus tobuild and continue circulating,” Gates wrote.
“At the request of the National Emergency Operations Centre, thefoundation’s polio team provided support to an independent managementreview of Pakistan’s polio program in the high priority districts and thosecontributing to polio transmission, starting in Karachi, Rawalpindi, andPeshawar. Our team is working with the independent management review teamand the NEOC to finalise recommendations and develop an implementation planslated to start before the low season campaigns in November,” the letteradded.
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The billionaire philanthropist sought cooperation from all levels of thePakistani government and requested Prime Minister Khan to endorse therecommendations and implementation plan prepared by the management’s review.
