COVID-19 vaccination remains a key priority for Africa

would focus on turning vaccine delivery into vaccinations.

"We must lean in and focus on vaccination uptake. It is an opportunity to work with governments to help set up vaccination centres, train and support health care workers, and engage directly with communities to understand the importance of getting vaccinated to secure the lives and livelihoods of their loved ones," she said.

Moving forward, the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative will include a strong focus on Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) to enable African citizens, particularly young people, and rural populations, to understand the safety and benefits of vaccination. RCCE will play a crucial role in creating demand for and uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations and supporting other non-pharmaceutical efforts to break the transmission chain and mitigate the pandemic's impact. The Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC launched the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative - a now $1.5 billion partnership.

The historic initiative - the largest public health partnership between a global philanthropic organization and an African institution - has proven to be catalytic. The Saving Lives and Livelihoods commitment to purchase 65 million vaccine doses was instrumental in enabling the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust to negotiate and secure 510 million doses for Africa from vaccine manufacturers. The initiative also helped inform the decision of African Union Heads of State to designate the Africa CDC as an autonomous public health agency. Additionally, the initiative has delivered over 15 million vaccines across the continent since its launch while deploying rapid responders to accelerate vaccination campaigns in countries at-risk of vaccine expiration.