Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC Remain Committed to Saving Lives and Livelihoods

Joint Statement of the Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC in Response to Devex Articles of 3^rd October 2023

October 5, 2023 – The Saving Lives and Livelihoods Initiative is rooted in shared goals of strengthening public health institutions and improving public health and health security on the African continent. The Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC remain committed to these goals and to the partnership.

With the WHO declaration of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 5, 2023, Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC are assessing the work and impact of the first phase of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative from its inception in July 2021, and looking to build on this through a second phase.

Saving Lives and Livelihoods is transitioning from emergency mode to a new phase.  To enable evidence-based planning for the new phase, the Mastercard Foundation and Africa CDC are conducting an audit as part of necessary steps to establish what was achieved in phase one.  The pause addressed new activities and not payments due for completed work.  Regular monitoring has been in place to address operational issues that arise within an initiative of this size and complexity. The report that was referenced in the Devex features was part of the regular monitoring process and many of the issues have already been addressed.

We are deeply concerned about pending payments and teams have been working with the relevant implementing partners towards a resolution. The matter is being resolved and payments will be issued.

The Saving Lives and Livelihoods Initiative is an unprecedented program which has achieved remarkable success to date, including over 34 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in 25 member states, cold chain equipment distributed to 32 member states, 30 laboratories equipped for genomic sequencing of SARS-COV-2 and other pathogens and more than 22,000 jobs created, including senior health professionals, vaccinators, and community health workers.

As this initiative transitions to phase two, priority areas will be integration into routine immunization systems, addressing COVID-19 alongside other infectious diseases. The initiative will also continue to build Africa’s health security by strengthening public health institutions, enabling workforce development, and ensuring the pandemic preparedness for the continent.

For media inquiries:

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)

Dr. Benjamin Djoudalbaye,

Head of Policy, Health Diplomacy, and Communication,

BenjaminD@africa-union.org

Mastercard Foundation

Wariko Waita,

Senior Director, Corporate Communications,

wwaita@mastercardfdn.org