RAWALPINDI: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates telephoned the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday and acknowledged Pakistan Army’s efforts in successfully running an anti-polio campaign and eradicating polio from Pakistan. Director General (DG) of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor said that the Microsoft co-founder called the COAS and acknowledged the role Pakistan Army played in successfully eradicating Polio from Pakistan. “The COAS appreciated Bill Gates’ efforts towards this noble cause and assured him continued full cooperation in the best interest of Pakistan” the DG ISPR tweeted. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are the only three countries in this world that still suffer from endemic Polio, a childhood virus that can cause paralysis or death. The country has been battling polio for the past several years and is on the verge of completely eradicating the disease. The number of cases has declined from 306 in 2014 to 54 in 2015, 20 in 2016 and eight in 2017. This year only one polio case has been so far been reported from Dukki, Balochistan. Published in Daily Times, June 8th 2018.