Bamako, Mali — Mali's capacity to store and distribute vaccines safely, ensuring the continued success of both COVID-19 vaccination efforts and routine immunization programs was boosted with a donation of storage equipment worth over $609,000 on August 16.
The Africa CDC in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation through the Saving Lives and Livelihood (SLL) program, handed over Cold Chain Equipment (CCE) to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Mali.
The equipment support includes 11 ordinary refrigerators, 32 solar-powered refrigerators, 70 vaccine carriers, 40 cold boxes, 23 remote temperature monitoring systems, and 2,000 fridge-tag 2E devices.
"This handover marks a pivotal moment in our collective mission to protect public health in Mali," said Acting Director of the Western Africa Regional Coordinating Centre, Dr. Herlinda Temba, delivering remarks on behalf of Africa CDC's Director-General, H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya.
"The Cold Chain Equipment we are delivering today will not only safeguard the potency of vaccines but also reinforce the health system's capacity to respond to future public health emergencies," she said adding: "This is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together with purpose and resolve. Africa CDC remains committed to supporting Mali and all Member States in their journey towards health security".
Ms Youma Sall, a Technical Advisor who represented the Mali Ministry of Health, expressed profound appreciation to Africa CDC, the Mastercard Foundation and all other partners.
"The Cold Chain Equipment provided today will have a lasting impact on our country's immunization programs. It is not just an investment in equipment but an investment in the health and well-being of our people. This generous contribution will enable us to reach more communities with life-saving vaccines, ensuring that no one is left behind in our fight against preventable diseases," said Ms Sall.
In response to the urgent need for expanded vaccination and vaccine storage capacity across Africa, the Africa CDC in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation launched SLL program.
The SLL program was initiated to support the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines as well as routine immunization programs, ensuring that vaccines are stored under optimal conditions from arrival to administration. Between December 2021 and February 2022, Africa CDC, with support from UNICEF, conducted a comprehensive assessment of cold chain capacity across the continent. The findings revealed significant gaps, with many countries lacking sufficient equipment and infrastructure to maintain the required cold chain conditions.
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The SLL program has procured, distributed, and installed cold chain equipment valued at approximately $128.7 million across 35 African countries, to address these challenges. This initiative is a cornerstone of Africa CDC's commitment to strengthening health systems and ensuring that vaccines remain effective throughout their journey, ultimately safeguarding millions of lives across the continent.
The handover of Cold Chain Equipment in Mali is part of a broader, continent-wide effort to strengthen immunization programs and enhance public health resilience. To date, Africa CDC has completed the handover of Cold Chain Equipment in Nigeria, Cote d' Ivoire, Cape Verde, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Somalia, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho.
The journey continues, with upcoming handovers planned for Burundi, Chad, Guinea Bissau, Rwanda, Saharawi, South Sudan, and Ethiopia further strengthening Africa's public health infrastructure, ensuring that all Member States are equipped to handle both current and future public health challenges.
