Patna: Bill Gates, co-chair and trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here on Saturday and discussed ways to work together on key health indicators like family planning and immunization for the next five years.

The foundation offered commitment to work together on areas of health like maternal, neo-natal and child health, nutrition, infectious diseases management (diarrohea, pneumonia and tuberculosis) and elimination of Kala-azar, and enhance support through technical assistance in sanitation, digital financial inclusion as well as agriculture.

In addition to the CM, the meeting was also attended by Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh, R K Mahajan, Principal Secretary Health, S M Raju, Secretary, Social Welfare and Chanchal Kumar, Secretary to the Chief Minister among others.

The Chief Minister said his government was open to the suggestion of involvement of high quality private sector operators, under requisite public private partnerships (PPP) to deliver high quality neonatal care through SNCUs (Special Newborn Care Units).

He said the state was willing to look into attractive contracting and payment systems for which he requested the Foundation to provide technical support.

Kumar assured the Foundation of bringing structural changes in the Public Health systems.

Source: Zee News