News
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Bill Gates calls up Zardari; talks on health related issuesISLAMABAD: Microsoft Corporation Chairman Bill Gates telephoned President Asif Ali Zardari and talked about health related issues in Pakistan, particularly the progress made on the polio eradication campaign.
Presidential spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, said the president appreciated the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation for providing generous contribution and support to the government of Pakistan for the noble cause of polio eradication and making Pakistan a polio free country. Zardari said the government had launched a ‘National Emergency Action Plan 2011’ for the eradication of polio and informed Gates that he had directed the health department for vigorous implementation of the plan in all parts of the country, particularly Tribal Areas to make Pakistan a polio-free country.
The president said he was pleased that the country’s entire leadership had endorsed the new plan and was fully geared up to take forward the plan for the eradication of polio.
The president assured there would be strict oversight of the plan at the national and provincial levels through monitoring cells.
Zardari said the government was working on a fast track emergency plan with the support of security forces to ensure access to children and households in the security-sensitive areas so that not even a single child was left without polio vaccination in the country.
Gates thanked the president for the firm commitment of the democratic government to polio eradication in the country and assured all-out support for Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation in the anti-polio drive and complete eradication of polio from Pakistan.
The president thanked Gates for the gesture and expressed the hope that his foundation would continue to work in Pakistan for the social welfare and uplift of the downtrodden people of the country. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk