ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF) have launched a joint initiative #StopTheSpread under which awareness will be created among the masses about the Covid-19 vaccinations, said a press release.

Coca-Cola Foundation has funded $20 million for the drive, which will be conducted in collaboration with non-profit organisations to respond to the pandemic and its variants.

Commenting on the initiative, Saadia Madsbjerg, President of TCCF, said, "We are proud to use our resources to fund initiatives to help curb the spread of COVID-19 around the world, including this grant to support UNDP Pakistan's prevention efforts that focus on communities with limited access to health programs."

The signing agreement for the project was announced on 14th October 2201 at the UNDP's Islamabad Headquarters. Laura Sheridan, programme manager, Youth Empowerment Program, at UNDP said, "We have worked together with TCCF to design the project on international best practices. We are aiming to impact thousands of people by the end of this campaign to not just get vaccinated but also actively guide others to follow the NCOC registration process till the point citizens have their vaccination certificates."

The program aims to reach about 20 million Pakistanis in about a year through its various interventions.

To reduce exposure of participants, the event was live streamed with leading behavioural change scientists, digital media specialists, journalists, and health experts, who participated in a discussion on how to meet the pandemics fast-changing landscape.