In a letter to PM Modi, Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has praised his leadership in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, government sources said on April 22.

According to an NDTV report, Bill Gates praised the Indian government for ‘utilising its exceptional digital capabilities’, such as launching the Aarogya Setu app.

‘We commend your leadership and the proactive measures you and your government have taken to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 infection rate in India, such as adopting a national lockdown, expanding focused testing to identify hot spots for isolation, quarantining, and care, and significantly increasing health expenditures to strengthen the health system response and promote R&D and digital innovation,’ reads the letter.

‘I’m glad your government is fully utilising its exceptional digital capabilities in its COVID-19 response and has launched the Aarogya Setu digital app for coronavirus tracking, contact tracing, and to connect people to health services,’ the Microsoft co-founder added.

‘Grateful to see that you’re seeking to balance public health imperatives with the need to ensure adequate social protection for all Indians,’ the letter further said.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the second-largest donor to the WHO after the United States. The Gates Foundation has also been a huge help to India in time of this crisis. The world’s largest philanthropic foundations’ key focus is healthcare and has been among the most active participants in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier, Melinda Gates announced an extra $150 million of funding from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation above the $100 million pledged earlier to help speed the development of treatments, vaccines and public health measures to contain the outbreak.

The non-profit has worked extensively in India with both the central as well as various state governments in their initiative to eradicate polio and others in health, sanitation, farming, and financial services for the poor.

Bill Gates had presented the Goalkeepers Global Goals Award to PM Modi, last year for his government’s Swachh Bharat programme on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York City.

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