ISLAMABAD: Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates arrived in Pakistan on Thursday for a day-long visit and met Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He was briefed about efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and eradicate poliovirus from the country. Imran Khan also hosted a luncheon in honour of Gates who is here on his first ever visit to Pakistan.
Gates attended a session of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), and also met planning Minister and NCOC Chief Asad Umar.
Gates, alongside together along with his delegation, attended the NCOC`s morning session and had been apprised about the forum`s role , methodology, achievements because since the begin of the pandemic and the current state of the country, together with numerous NPIs enforced through the NCOC to control the virus` spread.
“A comprehensive review of Pakistan’s efforts against Covid-19 was presented to visiting delegation. The visiting delegation was also briefed on genome sequencing (prevalence of various variants in the country ),” said a statement.
Hosted @BillGates at the NCOC this morning. Shared with him the work which has been done for covid response in Pakistan and the role played by @OfficialNcoc. Thanked him for the support provided by the @gatesfoundation. He was appreciative of the covid response effort in Pakistan pic.twitter.com/pasYqnJ2gq
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) February 17, 2022
Gates appreciates the Covid response effort in Pakistan, Umar concluded in his post.
The philanthropist also visited the polio program, where he was briefed by the program director Shehzad Baig on measures to prevent polio in the country.
Pakistan is one of the two remaining countries in the world where polio is still categorised as an endemic viral infection.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan took to his official Twitter handle to welcome Gates to Pakistan.
The SAPM stated that Gates’s planned engagements also include meeting President Arif Alvi and a review of the Ehsaas programme.
It is a pleasure to welcome Mr Bill Gates on his first ever visit to Pakistan. Planned engagements include review of progress on polio eradication; visits to NCOC and Ehsaas program as well as meeting the President, the PM and health leadership of the provinces.
— Faisal Sultan (@fslsltn) February 17, 2022
Earlier in January, Gates and the Prime Minister discussed matters of shared concern including polio eradication in Pakistan and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The Prime Minister had expressed appreciation for the work of the Gates Foundation in fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world.