- Tanzania’s refusal to provide COVID-19 data and procure vaccines could risk the whole continent, according to Africa CDC.
- During an online media briefing, Africa CDC director, John Nkengasong warned that this virus has no borders and advised Magufuli’s government to review their policy on dealing with COVID and join the African Union in fighting the pandemic.
Tanzania’s refusal to provide COVID-19 data and procure vaccines could risk the whole continent, according to Africa CDC. The President John Magufuli had given the impression that the Pandemic was under control in Tanzania. The country gave official statistics for COVID-19 almost a year back, in April 2020.
President John Magufuli assured his countrymen last year that he will not impose any COVID 19 preventive measures like curfews and lockdowns followed by other African countries. In May 2020, he even announced that Tanzania had defeated the coronavirus through prayer. The East African nation with a population of 58 million resorted to herbal medicine — particularly inhaling steam from a mixture of traditional herbs, as a therapy against the virus.
However, Since December 2020, with rising deaths attributed to “acute pneumonia,” Tanzanians have become worried about the pandemic. Zanzibar’s First Vice President Seif Sharif Hamad, his family and aids were reported to be infected with the virus in January end. Further, in January, two cases of the new South African strain — deemed to be more contagious — were discovered in air travellers returning from Tanzania, which sent shock waves among the people. Tanzania’s Roman Catholic Church took the courage and went against the government’s code of silence by warning its members to protect themselves.
During an online media briefing, Africa CDC director, John Nkengasong warned that this virus has no borders and advised Magufuli’s government to review their policy on dealing with COVID and join the African Union in fighting the pandemic.
