PM Shehbaz, Bill Gates Discuss Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Efforts
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — WEB DESK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Gates Foundation Chair Bill Gates in New York on Wednesday, reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to completely eradicate polio as the country continues efforts to stop transmission of the virus.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. Shehbaz thanked the Gates Foundation for its longstanding support for Pakistan’s polio eradication programme and reaffirmed his personal commitment to the campaign.
Gates acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts and stressed that eliminating polio was essential to protect future generations from the disease. According to the PMO account, he also welcomed Shehbaz’s guidance to provincial governments regarding the nationwide vaccination programme.
The meeting went beyond polio. Shehbaz highlighted the Gates Foundation’s cooperation with Pakistan in maternal and child health, nutrition, immunisation, digitalisation and financial inclusion, and expressed interest in broadening the partnership into public health, agriculture, digital innovation and artificial intelligence.
The prime minister also briefed Gates on Pakistan’s agricultural reforms, including work on biotechnology, climate resilience, research, innovation and capacity-building for farmers. The two sides agreed to explore collaboration involving improved seeds, livestock genetics and emerging agricultural technologies.
Pakistan’s battle against polio remains unfinished despite a significant reduction in infections. The country has reported four wild poliovirus cases in 2026, three of them from Bannu Division in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The latest confirmed case involved an eight-month-old child in Bannu district.
According to the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication, security-related access constraints in parts of southern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have resulted in children missing vaccination doses, allowing the virus to continue circulating. Pakistan recorded 74 cases in 2024 and 31 in 2025 before the tally declined sharply this year.
Large-scale vaccination efforts are continuing. A seven-day campaign launched this week in Sindh aims to vaccinate around 10 million children under five, while Karachi alone is targeting approximately 2.5 million children.
Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the two countries where wild poliovirus transmission has not been interrupted. The persistence of cases in Pakistan means vaccination access, security for health workers, community acceptance and surveillance remain central challenges to eradication.
Shehbaz also invited Gates to visit Pakistan again, while both sides agreed to continue engagement aimed at expanding cooperation in sustainable development, technology and social-sector programmes.
