Islamabad, Apr 27 (IANS): Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, discussing public health and social sector programmes supported by the foundation in Pakistan, the Prime Minister's Office said.

The prime minister underscored that Pakistan deeply values its cooperation with the Gates foundation in polio eradication and improving immunisation, nutrition and financial inclusion services in the country, the office said in a statement on Tuesday night.

He reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to further solidifying its fruitful partnership with the foundation in all the ongoing areas of work, Xinhua news agency reported.

Pakistan has maintained progress toward polio eradication and appreciates the assistance provided by the Gates foundation in that regard, Sharif added.

Gates acknowledged the positive progress and reiterated the foundation's continued support to Pakistan for ensuring that no child is at risk of paralysis due to poliovirus, the statement said.

The prime minister and Gates also exchanged views on Pakistan's Covid vaccination drive, it added.