In his hour-long meeting with health minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, the visiting Chairman of Microsoft, Bill Gates expressed his support to initiatives involving effective vaccination and treatment of 20 killer diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria and Japanese encephalitis, and the status of maternal and child health.He also wanted India to actively take part in trials of vaccines and immunizations currently under way. According to a Press release issued by the Health ministry, Gates said ‘‘India has all the infrastructure and the human resource to take up the task’’.While he lauded India’s efforts in taking healthcare delivery to the masses, he said his Foundation’s priority is combating what he called the ‘‘tough 20’’ diseases — HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, hepatitis and polio.As HIV was an important area of discussion and the foundation has committed grants of $200 million in the next five years, the health minister hoped there will be close coordination between the Gates Foundation and the health ministry so there is no overlap of resources and projects. While both Dr Ramadoss and Gates agreed that a new initiative for finding more effective cure for tuberculosis is the need of the hour, Dr Ramadoss also informed him that India will announce soon it’s leprosy-free. Polio was also extensively discussed in the meeting. The minister also expressed hope that India will become free from polio.Dr Ramadoss elaborated on efforts at controlling infectious diseases, development of vaccines and drugs for controlling them.
