The famous American philanthropist Mr. Bill Gates called on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today. He was accompanied by Mrs. Melinda Gates. Mr. Bill Gates praised the Prime Minister’s emphasis on community sanitation initiatives, and in particular, applauded the Prime Minister’s focus on sanitation as a critical driver of child health, and a prominent factor in the safety and dignity of women and girls.
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana also came up for discussion, with Bill and Melinda Gates appreciating the Prime Minister’s prioritization of financial inclusion, and expressing support for his vision for access to financial services for all. Mr. Bill Gates also appreciated India’s efforts in introducing four critical new vaccines in its Universal Immunization Programme. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation expressed keenness to continue its partnership with India in this area.
The Prime Minister praised the spirit of philanthropy and public good, with which the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been working. He appreciated the Foundation’s efforts in healthcare in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and discussed with them how these efforts could be integrated with the existing programmes of the Government. Bill and Melinda Gates also appreciated the improvement in institutional delivery by involving public and private sector health facilities in the State of Gujarat.
