Ambitious move: Gates and Prabowo speaking during their visit to the school in Jakarta. — Reuters
BILL Gates discussed plans to roll out public health initiatives in Indonesia in a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto as the billionaire seeks to expand philanthropic activity in Asia.
Gates, speaking at a gathering in Jakarta yesterday with the president, ministers and several billionaires, said the Gates Foundation aimed to roll out new anemia medication and new tuberculosis vaccines in the coming years in Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous nation.
“A lot still to be done in health, but the innovation pipeline is strong,” he said.
Gates and Prabowo later visited a Jakarta elementary school where children received free lunches as part of a national programme being rolled out.
The government has allocated 171 trillion rupiah (RM43.8bil) in funds to the programme this year, which aims to reach more than 80 million beneficiaries across the country.
The meeting comes after the Microsoft Corp co-founder announced plans to open a Gates Foundation regional office in Singapore earlier this week.
The foundation also signed a pact with the Tanoto Foundation, established by Indonesian tycoon Sukanto Tanoto, to cooperate on programmes related to health care, nutrition and education in Asia. — Bloomberg
