The donation will help secure up to seven million doses of
the COVID-19 vaccine for health workers across the continent, which will
contribute to the vaccination initiative of the Africa Centres for Disease
Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
“The devastating impact of COVID-19has been unprecedented
and profound. Public and private
partnerships are needed if we are to succeed in the fight against the pandemic
and restore social and economic norms for our continent and our communities,”
says Ralph Mupita, President and Chief Executive Officer of MTN Group.
On 14 January 2021, President Cyril Ramaphosa, Chairperson
of the African Union, announced that the African Union had secured a
provisional 270 million COVID-19 vaccine doses on behalf of its Member States,
through advance procurement commitment guarantees of up to US$2 billion to the
manufacturers by the African Export-Import Bank.
This was an important milestone in efforts to ensure
equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine for Africa’s people. However, with a
population of about 1.3 billion, Africa requires many more doses to achieve at
least 60 percent herd immunity. Contributions by private organisations, like
MTN, are therefore essential to help the continent reach its target.
“Our goal is to ensure that all those who need the COVID-19
vaccine have access to it very quickly, but the biggest hurdle in Africa has
been financing of the vaccines, and the logistics of vaccinating at scale. We
therefore welcome the right partnerships, like the one with MTN, to achieve our
minimum 60 percent vaccination target,” says Dr John Nkengasong, Director of
Africa CDC.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, MTN has made
significant contributions to help limit the spread of the disease and save
lives and livelihoods within its African market.
This donation is another example of MTN’s efforts to help
find lasting solutions to solve the challenges facing the continent and to
guarantee a healthy Africa, for all Africans.
“We believe ongoing collaborations with key stakeholders
across sectors are essential as vaccines are deployed in all our markets, with
communication tools, technology and digital services being vital support
infrastructure for a successful mass vaccination programme,” concludes Mupita.
“In the coming months, MTN Group will look at similar support commitments for
the markets in which we operate in the Middle East.”