Islamabad, February 17, 2022 (PPI-OT):A meeting was held this morning between Senator Dr. Sania Nishtar, SAPM and Microsoft co-founder, and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This was Bill Gates’ first ever visit to Pakistan. Dr. Sania briefed him about Ehsaas and the focus on data, digitization, and transparency as key drivers of all Ehsaas programmes.

During the meeting, Bill Gates termed Ehsaas “a state of the art program”. Dr. Sania thanked him for his words of appreciation for Ehsaas and his support. Ehsaas programmes and initiatives are end-to-end digitized, reducing human discretion and exploitation. Bill Gates was also briefed on governance reforms under Ehsaas and the Building and Rebuilding Institutions Initiative (BRI) of Ehsaas where changes have focused on a three-pronged approach around institutionalizing efficiency through digitization, embedding good governance, and minimizing financial and statutory risks.

This initiative is aimed at introducing robust governance mechanisms that increase transparency, accountability, and efficiency as well as depoliticizing institutions involved in the delivery of Ehsaas. Secretary Muhammad Ali Shahzada, Secretary Ismat Tahira, Additional Secretary Captain (Rtd) Saeed Ahmed Nawaz and Additional Secretary Syed Moazzam were also present in the meeting. While in Pakistan, Bill Gates also met with Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Dr. Arif Alvi and visited the COVID-19 National Command and Operation Center (NCOC).

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