Tanzanias President Suluhu urged to issue accurate COVID-19 statistics, roll out vaccines

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has officially received a report from a Special Committee she formed to review the state of the COVID-19 pandemic in Tanzania and guide her administration on measures to take.

In the report submitted to President Suluhu at State House, Dar es Salaam, the committee has made a raft of recommendations among them that the government begins issuing accurate statistics on the infections to the public and World Health Organization (WHO) to create a clear picture on the state of the pandemic in the country.

The taskforce also wants the government to come up with a contingency plan including measures to contain the spread of the disease.

President Suluhu has also been advised to roll out a vaccination exercise with priority being frontline workers, members of public with underlying health conditions as well as persons aged 50 years and above, security officers and travelers.

The Tanzanian government has also been asked to join the COVAX facility in order to be part of countries that receive vaccines.

The taskforce has further recommended that Tanzania allocates resources to expand the country’s COVID-19 testing capacity and provide an opportunity for scientific research in battling the disease.

Last week, the Tanzanian President stressed the importance of face masks in fighting COVID-19, ditching one of the most controversial policies of her late coronavirus-sceptic predecessor.

Hassan took office in March after the death of John Magufuli, who had urged Tanzanians to shun masks and denounced vaccines as a Western conspiracy, to the frustration of the World Health Organization.

Also Read: President Suluhu urges Tanzanians to wear face masks in fight against COVID-19