Days after the Trump administration announced it was suspending security assistance to the country, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced it will increase financial aid for Pakistan.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provides technical and financial resources to accelerate specific vaccination campaigns, routine immunization and raising awareness.

Although its sole focus in the past was supporting polio eradication campaigns, the latest communication indicates that the foundation may expand its assistance to other realms of the healthcare sector.

In a letter to Minister for National Health Services (NHS) Saira Afzal Tarar – a copy of which is available with Dawn – Mr Gates praised the government’s commitment to the eradication of polio.

The Microsoft founder also acknowledges the receipt of certain concept notes regarding innovations in the health sector, especially with regards to “strengthening mother and child care and reproductive health”, which he said were being analysed by a team of experts.

Read more about The Gates Foundation providing assistance to Pakistan by Ikram Junaidi at DAWN