TANZANIA FIGHTING COVID-19 "OWN" WAY

* No lock-down  * To use natural remedies  * To use locally made face masks

By Our Correspondent, Chato TANZANIA

President of Tanzania, John Magufuli, has yesterday clearly ruled out the possibility of locking down the commercial city of Dar es Salaam because of the spread of the novel coronavirus.

President of Tanzania, John Magufuli

“There are those who have suggested that we lockdown Dar es Salaam. This is not possible.” said the President adding that Dar es Salaam is the only centre where the government collect almost 80 per cent of the country’s revenue.

“We can continue taking all measures to curb the virus but not by locking down the city. We will not close Dar es Salaam whatever comes. This is the centre of our economy. Do you want Dar residents to die of hunger? Do you want people not to conduct businesses?” he demanded.

Magufuli was addressing a joint meeting of heads of national security in his home town of Chato, Geita region where he gave directives on ‘own way’ of fighting Covid-19.

Apart from ruling out the lock-down of the city, the President also urged medical authorities to promote the use of natural remedies to fight the disease, shunting science aside and discourage use of imported face masks for risk of contamination.

“Natural remedies are also important to fight Covid-19. We should also prioritize this, and scientists have proved that the virus can be battled in vapour which is above 100 degree centigrade. So people should be educated on various home remedies to fight this disease,” He said, citing home remedies like hot water mixed with ginger, lemon and other ingredients as helping to treat symptoms of the disease.

“The Ministry of Health and other agencies should take extra care on donations provided by various institutions and people specifically facemasks as some of them have been reported to spread the disease. Local manufactures should invest heavily in producing more protective tools including ventilators and sanitizers to meet the country’s demand,” Magufuli stated.

The president directed the police force and the internet regulator, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) to deal with those who misuse social media platforms by posting information meant to raise fear among the people.

“Fear is a greater threat than the coronavirus itself,” he declared, underlining that people should make well use of social media. They should not pay attention to unnecessary or fear cultivating information about the pandemic.

 “We should also be open to those who recover. Reports should be clear so as to destroy fear which is now rooted among the people,” he said.

He urged routine focusing on the number of people who have recovered from the disease, saying from his understanding there are quite a number of people who have recovered, around 100 by his understanding, but not much was being heard officially.

He asserted that the Health ministry does not need to keep people on isolation for long; if they haven’t developed symptoms of the disease they should be discharged.

He welcomed the efforts by the financial institutions such as the World Bank to allow economies that have been hit the coronavirus to borrow money but he was rather sceptical on how this was going to solve problems in these countries.

“Instead of giving us the offer to borrow more money the World Bank should waive some of the loans even by certain percentages,” he said adding that every month the country use almost Sh700 billion to service debts with a huge chunk going to the World Bank, so by giving such relief it will allow the country to build its economy.

He called upon other African countries to join hands in asking the international financial institutions to waive such debts.

Magufuli lauded health workers in the frontline against Covid-19, noting that they are offering invaluable service to the nation. He encouraged them to continue with the spirit of sacrifice to save lives of people during this pandemic.

“The job you are doing is incredible. Continue doing the best you can to save the nation from this scourge,” he said.

He also urged people on all fronts to adhere to personal protection measures as advised by experts and emphasized by institutions such as WHO.

He said individual protection measures are key to the nation winning the war against the highly contagious viral disease.

Health experts recommend observance of social distancing as useful in preventing further spread of the disease, he pointed out. - Africa