MTN collaborates with the African Union on COVID-19 vaccination

The telecommunications network, MTN, announced an amount of US $ 25 million to support the African Union to secure the COVID-19 vaccine for Africa.

The amount of money donated by MTN will help secure seventeen million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for health workers across the continent. This is part of an initiative of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ACDC).

Commenting on the donation, Ralph Mupita, President and CEO of MTN Group said, “The devastating impact of COVID-19 has been unprecedented and profound. Public and private partnerships are necessary if we are to succeed in the fight against the pandemic and restore social and economic norms for our continent and our communities ”.

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of the African Union (AU), announced on January 14, 2021 that the Union had obtained 270 million doses of interim COVID-19 vaccine on behalf of states members.

The procurement was carried out through an advance purchase commitment that guarantees up to $ 2 billion to manufacturers by the African Import-Export Bank.

ACDC Director Dr John Nkengasong revealed that “the center’s goal is to ensure that everyone who needs the COVID-19 vaccine has access very quickly, but the biggest obstacle in Africa was the financing of vaccines, and the logistics of large-scale vaccination. We therefore welcome good partnerships, such as the one with MTN, to achieve our minimum vaccination target of 60% ”.

For her part, MTN Ghana CEO Selorm Adadevoh expressed her gratitude to all frontline health workers and stakeholders for their dedication in the fight against the pandemic.

“Our immense gratitude goes to our dedicated frontline health workers, government and other key stakeholders who have worked tirelessly and braved obstacles to help our country in the face of this relentless pandemic. MTN appreciates your dedication to duty and hopes that these vaccines will help us all fight the COVID 19 pandemic ”.

MTN has contributed in various ways to the fight against the virus at every stage.

The latest such initiative is the donation to ACDC for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.