By Zika Bobby
The COVID-19 vaccine purchased by the Mastercard Foundation and the Africa CDC through the Saving Lives and Livelihoods Initiative has landed in Nigeria.
The Johnson and Johnson brand of vaccine was received by UNICEF Nigeria that would be responsible for the logistics and delivery to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) for cold storage and distribution to vaccination centres.
Saving Lives and Livelihoods is focused on the purchase and delivery of more than 65 million vaccines for the continent of Africa. It has allocated 3,326,400 J&J doses to Nigeria.
The initiative aims to enable vaccination for millions of people, develop a workforce for vaccine manufacturing, and strengthen the Africa CDC’s capacity to oversee a historic vaccination campaign and effectively respond to future outbreaks.
Launched in June 2021, Saving Lives and Livelihoods is a $1.5 billion partnership that aims to enable vaccination for millions of people, develop a workforce for vaccine manufacturing, and strengthen the Africa CDC’s capacity to oversee a historic vaccination campaign and effectively respond to future outbreaks.
“Timely delivery of these vaccines underscores the effectiveness of the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust. Working with the Africa CDC and multiple organisations, the Mastercard Foundation will support the rollout of vaccinations to millions across the continent.”
More remains to be done to increase vaccination rates urgently. We call on governments, funders, civil society, and others to step forward to save lives and livelihoods in Africa,” said Reeta Roy, president and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.
“We are steadily picking up momentum in the continental vaccination effort. In September, the first tranche of AVAT-purchased vaccines began rolling out to 39 countries. Now, we are announcing the delivery of vaccines purchased through the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative. And we are working hard on the ground to get jabs-in-arms, which is the ultimate measure of success,” said John Nkengasong, director of the Africa CDC.
Vaccines purchased under Saving Lives and Livelihoods build on a historic agreement negotiated by the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) earlier this year to purchase 400 million Johnson and Johnson vaccines and a more recent contract for the purchase of 50 million Moderna vaccines.
The Mastercard Foundation will fund the purchase of 57 million Johnson and Johnson vaccines and is seeking to purchase approximately 17 million Moderna vaccines.
“Afreximbank is proud to have played our part in. The arrangement for the supply and distribution of vaccines was configured on the back of a US$2 billion guarantee issued by Afreximbank to the vaccine manufacturers, with the support of partners. Through these combined efforts, the reopening of trade and commerce throughout the continent will be accelerated,” said Benedict Oramah, president of Afreximbank.