PM Shehbaz stresses digital payments, polio eradication in meeting with Gates Foundation team

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to completely eradicate polio as he met a delegation from the Gates Foundation.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Shehbaz met with the delegation in Islamabad, which included Gates Foundation representatives Kalpana Kochhar and Anita Zaidi.

The prime minister appreciated the foundation’s continued support and partnership with Pakistan amid the country’s developmental challenges.

He said the National Polio Eradication Programme enjoyed patronage at the highest level, underscoring the government’s resolve to eliminate the crippling disease.

PM Shehbaz also hailed the Gates Foundation for playing a commendable role in polio eradication, health, nutrition, financial inclusion and the welfare of vulnerable segments of society.

He said key reform priorities, including digital payments, food security, maternal and newborn health, poverty alleviation and climate change, were part of the government’s governance reforms agenda.

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“A cashless economy is a fundamental component of the Government of Pakistan's transformation agenda,” the prime minister said, adding that the move aimed to make life easier for ordinary citizens, enhance transparency in government systems and ensure that public funds reached deserving segments of society without delay or wastage.

He said digital payments were increasing as a result of joint efforts by the government and the Gates Foundation, adding that deserving women should receive their financial assistance directly, securely and with dignity.

The prime minister expressed a desire to partner with the Gates Foundation on focused initiatives for women’s financial inclusion and economic empowerment.

During the meeting, matters about further strengthening cooperation and partnership between Pakistan and the Gates Foundation were also discussed.

Despite efforts to eliminate polio, Pakistan remains one of only two countries, alongside Afghanistan, where the virus continues to circulate.

The country has reported three polio cases so far in 2026. Since the launch of the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) in 1994, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8 per cent — from an estimated 20,000 cases in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025.

Read More: 2 new polio cases confirmed in K-P as total reaches three in 2026

After a significant reduction in cases, from 147 in 2019 to just one in 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a resurgence. Since September 2023, there has been an increase in polio activity, particularly in Karachi.

While overall poliovirus transmission in the country has been declining, with cases falling from 74 in 2024 to 31 in 2025 and three so far in 2026, reflecting the impact of high-quality vaccination drives, virus circulation in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa persists.

Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and, in some instances, death. However, the disease can be prevented through polio vaccines, which are safe and effective and have been used safely in 195 countries, including all Muslim countries.

In 2026, Pakistan has already implemented three nationwide polio campaigns that protected approximately 45 million children.

The next campaign, planned for this month, will see vaccination teams reach more than 31 million children across 115 districts in Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh.