COAS Bajwa and Bill Gates discuss Pakistan’s polio eradication drive.

When a suicide bomber blew himself up, four troops accepted martyrdom. General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), and Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), spoke by phone and discussed the health situation, especially the elimination of polio in Pakistan,

according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). During the phone call, Bill Gates praised the Pakistan army’s efforts to eradicate polio across the country, according to the military’s media wing. According to the release, “Bill Gates also commended Pakistan army’s contribution in anti-polio drive coverage through community leaders.

” COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa praised Bill Gates and his foundation for their efforts in eradicating polio in Pakistan and assured him of Pakistan’s full cooperation in making the country polio-free.

Samples reveal presence of poliovirus in 7 cities

Previously, federal health officials confirmed the presence of the poliovirus in seven locations after collecting environmental samples from several cities.

The poliovirus has been identified in four Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cities, according to health officials. Sewage samples were obtained from Peshawar, Bannu, Nowshera, and Swat for testing.

Polio has also been discovered in sewage samples collected in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

The news comes after Pakistan reported 13 polio infections in North Waziristan and one in Laki Marwat in 2022.