Nigeria: Yemi Alade named ambassador for COVID-19 campaign

The campaign, which forms part of the Africa CDC’s Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative, aims to secure vaccines for more than 65 million people on the continent and provide logistical support for many more individuals. It will also aid vaccine manufacturing in Africa through a focus on workforce development while strengthening it.

The project was marked by the release of a video featuring the singer and UNDP goodwill ambassador who, for more than a year, has been highly vocal about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, the importance of vaccine equality, and the need to dispel myths around COVID-19 and vaccines, particularly in Africa. 

In addition to the video, Yemi is releasing a campaign unity anthem on 9 March, which will be accompanied by a hashtag #ItsUpToUs dance challenge choreographed by 21-year-old Zambian social media star and choreographer Mooya Musunga.

“I’m delighted to be a part of #ItsUptoUs, a movement that encourages Africans to take up the responsibility in making the world safe again,” Yemi said. “I’m happy to lend my voice to this important issue and moment.”

“COVID-19 vaccine acceptance is important to achieving herd immunity and safeguarding citizens in Africa and globally against the virus and its variants. That’s why Africa CDC and the Mastercard Foundation are joining efforts in ensuring access to vaccines for Africa,” Africa CDC director Dr John Nkenagsong said.

Less than 12 per cent of the continent has been fully vaccinated against the virus. Experts believe that ensuring vaccine adoption by targeting young people, who constitute nearly 60 per cent of Africa’s population, is the next step towards increasing coverage to 70 per cent by the end of 2022.

Since the onset of the pandemic, the Mastercard Foundation has made an effort to ensure that communities across Africa have access to accurate information about how to protect themselves. “Vaccines remain critical for saving lives and livelihoods,” Mastercard Foundation president and CEO Reeta Roy said. “But, misinformation spreads fast, so we need to be smarter and more creative to spread the right information faster. People make the right choices to protect themselves and their families when they have the facts.”