President and Chief Executive Officer of MTN Group, Ralph Mupita,on Wednesday in Johannesburg said that he was proud to announce on behalf of the company the donation of US$25million to support the African Union COVID-19 vaccination programme.
The donation according to Mupita will help secure up to seven million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for health workers across the continent.
This he said will contribute to the vaccination initiative of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
“The devastating impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented and profound, therefore, Public and private partnerships are needed if we are to succeed in the fight against the pandemic.
“The sole objective is to restore social and economic norms for our continent and our communities and most importantly the determination to bring lasting solutions to the disease,
“On Jan. 14, 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,’’ Mupita said.
He added that with a population of about 1.3 billion, Africa requires many more doses to achieve at least 60 per cent herd immunity.
Contributions by private organisations, like MTN, are therefore essential to help the continent reach its target.
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.
“Therefore, for a successful mass vaccination programme. in the coming months, MTN Group will look at similar support commitments for the markets in which we operate in the Middle East.”Mupita said.
