[ad_1]
Tanzania has not reported any cases or deaths from Covid-19 since the end of April. The US embassy has warned that healthcare facilities could be overwhelmed and the hospital’s low capacity could “lead to life-threatening delays for emergency medical care.”
President John Magufuli, who was re-elected in a disputed October 2020 election, has repeatedly played down the virus and recommended extravagant remedies.
Magufuli has also refused to acquire vaccines for the population of 58 million, saying they are “dangerous” and “not good for us”.
“Some of our Tanzanian compatriots recently traveled abroad in search of corona vaccines, they were the ones who brought corona back to our country after their return,” Magufuli said at an event on January 27. “My Tanzanian compatriots, let us hold on, some of these vaccines are not good for us.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) urged Tanzanian officials earlier this month to follow the science in the fight against Covid-19.
In a press conference on February 1, Tanzania’s Minister of Health Dorothy Gwajima did not say when the country would start receiving vaccines, but instead reiterated the hygiene practices suggested by the government, which include drinking plenty of water and taking local herbs, which the government claims, without evidence, can fight the virus.
The leader of one of Tanzania’s largest political parties, the Alliance for Change and Transparency, has spoken out in recent weeks against the denial of the Covid-19 government.
“Tanzania’s neighbors need to understand that as long as Tanzania refuses to be a responsible partner in this battle against Covid-19, the whole region remains vulnerable!” Zitto Kabwe said in a tweet on Wednesday.
Two people who traveled from Tanzania to the UK carried the B.1351 variant first detected in South Africa.
CNN’s Radina Gigova contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source link
