Washington: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has announced approximately $7.5 million in humanitarian assistance for the flood-affected people of Pakistan’s Sindh and Balochistan provinces, and repurposed its current grants to boost the country’s rescue and relief operations.
In a letter addressed to Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US, Ambassador Masood Khan, President Global Development of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Christopher Elias, conveyed that its polio programme would also support 1200 health camps being run by Aga Khan University, Karachi, in the worst flood-affected districts.
Furthermore, the foundation would put more support towards three maternity hospitals dealing with the largest burden of displaced women to expand midwifery care, and intrapartum services, the letter said.
Elias informed the ambassador that the foundation has an active $4 million grant for the poor that are getting food subsidies and emergency cash transfers in the flood-affected areas.
On behalf of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, he expressed deepest sympathies over the losses due to unprecedented flood.
“This is indeed a tragedy of national proportions and one which has captured the attention of the world,” Elias wrote.
“Seeing the impact of the floods on your countrymen, their homes and their lands is greatly saddening.”
Ambassador Masood Khan thanked the Foundation for its generous support at a time when the people of Pakistan needed it most.
On August 26, the Pakistani envoy wrote to Bill Gates, Co-Chair Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, apprising him of huge devastation wreaked by the floods.
“As we are managing this catastrophe and working tirelessly to alleviate the sufferings, the people of Pakistan would deeply appreciate your support for urgent humanitarian assistance.” APP
