Shahid Shah: The Microsoft co-founder and American business magnate Bill Gates on Thursday praised Pakistan anti-COVID-19 and Polio virus eradication measures and said “its inspiring”.

Gates who arrived to Islamabad at the special invitation of the Prime Minister Imran Khan today, meet with Khan and other senior officials of the country.

This is Gates first visit to the South Asian country.

“Pakistan’s commitment to ending polio is inspiring,” he said during a meeting of National Task Force on Polio Eradication, which was attended by premier Khan and provincial Chief Ministers and other key officials.

“We are near the end-game against Polio.” said Bill Gates and adding Pakistan has an opportunity to make history by ending polio.

While welcoming Mr. Gates, on his first ever visit to Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan thanked the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for its continued support and partnership with the Government of Pakistan in Polio eradication.

He underlined that the Government is fully committed and determined towards polio eradication.

“Afghanistan being the primary source of Polio incidence in our two bordering provinces, requires urgent international support to avert humanitarian crisis including health emergency. Pakistan is providing full support for the sake of 40 million Afghan people in need of basic amenities,” Khan said.

Mr. Bill Gates thanked the Prime Minister for inviting him and extending warm hospitality on his first ever visit to Pakistan. Mr. Gates highly appreciated the efforts of the leadership, health workers and parents for working tirelessly to ensure that polio never paralyzes a child again. Mr. Gates said that despite COVID-19 restrictions, Pakistan has performed amazingly and has continued with polio vaccinations, according to a statement issued from Prime Minister office.

The National Task Force on Polio Eradication paid tributes to the 36 frontline workers and 14 law enforcement personnel who lost their lives during polio vaccination to the children across the country.

Earlier, the Task Force was briefed that Pakistan has completed one year of zero polio incidence. However, the virus has been detected in environmental samples in southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan province.

Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan are the only three country where still the polio virus exist, however Pakistan didn’t reported a single case in 2021.

Late, Gates also visited the NCOC, a body look after the COVID-19 program in the country and he praised the Pakistan smart lockdown initiative that helped the country to control the virus.

Meanwhile, President Dr. Arif Alvi has also conferred the Award of `Hilal-e-Pakistan` to Bill Gates in recognition of his support for poverty alleviation and health care during a Special Investiture Ceremony held at the President House , according to Radio Pakistan.