Shehbaz Sharif Vows to Eradicate Polio in Pakistan with Gates Foundation's Support

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed his government's determination to eradicate polio from the country during a National Taskforce meeting. The meeting, attended by Bill Gates, stressed ongoing collaborative efforts with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Sharif highlighted recent polio campaigns and projected imminent results.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday reaffirmed his government's unwavering commitment to completely eradicate polio from the country during a meeting of the National Taskforce for Polio Eradication in Islamabad.

Speaking to attendees, including Bill Gates and officials from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Sharif emphasized that federal and provincial governments are working cohesively, having conducted five polio campaigns in the last six months. "Our polio eradication efforts will yield significant results in the coming weeks and months," he stated.

Highlighting further collaborations, Sharif acknowledged Gates' contributions to battling polio, malnutrition, and enhancing mother and child healthcare in Pakistan. Gates pledged that the Foundation's support for eradicating polio in Pakistan will continue for another two and a half to three years, aiming for zero polio cases.

Currently, Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, remains one of the few regions grappling with poliovirus, with five cases reported in 2024 so far.