Gates Foundation to support 620,000 women and children in Pakistan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb have held discussions with representatives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand cooperation on economic and health initiatives in Pakistan.

The foundation plans to support approximately 620,000 women and children in Pakistan this year through programs focused on nutrition, livelihoods, financial assistance, and access to citizen facilitation services. A specific program in South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is expected to reach 170,000 women and 450,000 children.

Key areas of collaboration include women’s economic empowerment, maternal and newborn healthcare, and polio eradication. The discussions also highlighted the importance of digital innovation, such as digital payments and the potential use of artificial intelligence in healthcare, to improve service delivery and transparency. Other priority sectors include food security, poverty reduction, and climate change.