Tanzania's presidential 'taskforce' recommends Covid-19 vaccination

By Osoro Nyawangah, Dar es Salaam. 

A Tanzania presidential taskforce formed by President Samia Hassan to evaluate covid-19 status and propose appropriate measures to manage the pandemic in the country has recommended to the government to procure covid-19 vaccines.

Tanzania’s COVID-19 Committee Chairman Prof. Said Aboud (R) submits a report of its recommendations to President Samia Hassan at City Hall in Dar-es-Salaam

Apart from vaccine rollout, the experts came up with 19 recommendations to tackle further spread of the coronavirus in Tanzania.

The Taskforce has recommended a return to providing infection updates, proper interventions. for Tanzania to vaccinate its citizens and join the COVAX facility which is aimed at equitable vaccine access globally to obtain free doses.

Talking to reporters after handing over the report to the president, the leader of the committee, Professor Said Aboud, an Associated Professor of the University of Dar es Salaam said that the committee advises the government to continue monitoring the situation as it leads towards allowing Tanzanians to freely vaccinate against Covid 19 using WHO endorsed vaccines.

“The committee advises that the scientifically proven vaccines are effective and safe, therefore the government should allow free vaccines using jabs listed by the WHO," He said adding that Corona vaccine be introduced in the country soon.

“The committee has advised the government and  recommended that Tanzania provide information on the presence of the disease as well as take steps to strengthen all preventive measures to prevent the threat of the third wave of virus," said Prof Aboud.

He said the committee recommends that the vaccination priority be given to health workers, civil servants, religious leaders and pilgrims, the elderly, the chronically ill, security forces and those traveling abroad.

“Since the outbreak of Covid 19  in March 2020, Tanzania has been hit by two major waves and now due to the trend of the pandemic in other countries, there is a threat of a third wave.” He warned

The taskforce was formed so as to advise the government on the way forward regarding the management of the pandemic which first struck the country in March 2020.

Speaking in Dar es Salaam on April 6, 2021 during the swearing in ceremony of government officials, President Hassan said she intended to form a committee that will advise the government on Covid-19 issues.

Tanzania's Minister for Health, Dorothy Gwajima (C) drinking home-made herbal as cure for covid-19 

According to the president, Tanzania needs to have a clear and understandable position regarding the pandemic so that it can make informed decisions.

The recommendations are the latest sign of the government's increasingly proactive approach to tackling the disease following the death in March of President John Magufuli, who downplayed the disease.

In January this year, Magufuli had warned citizens against COVID-19 vaccines and urged them to instead fight the virus using home-made remedies like steam inhalation.

Tanzania's last public records on Covid-19 was in April last year.

The country stopped issuing pandemic daily cases update at 509 cases with 21 deaths, after which President Magufuli questioned the validity of test results. - Africa