WHO Puts Pressure on Tanzania’s President John Magufuli over Covid – 19 Outbreak
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has reached out to COVID-19 skeptic Tanzania’s President John Magufuli, promising to support the country’s health system.
“COVID-19 is a serious disease that can cause severe illness and even death. National authorities everywhere must do all they can to protect people and save lives and WHO stands ready to support them in the response against this deadly virus,” Dr Tedros said in a statement on the situation in Tanzania.
Magufuli has ignored all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) recommended by the WHO, including use of masks, and believes COVID-19 can be fought using natural remedies and prayers. He at one time declared Tanzania COVID-19 free.
The WHO however insists that Tanzania is not telling the truth.
“A number of Tanzanians travelling to neighbouring countries and beyond have tested positive for COVID-19. This underscores the need for Tanzania to take robust action both to safeguard their own people and protect populations in these countries and beyond,” said Dr Tedros
The WHO chief added that, “This situation remains very concerning. I renew my call for Tanzania to start reporting COVID-19 cases and share data. I also call on Tanzania to implement the public health measures that we know work in breaking the chains of transmission, and to prepare for vaccination.”
Dr Tedros’ statement followed the death in the past week of Tanzania’s Zanzibar First Vice-President Serif Sharif Hamad, reportedly after being admitted with COVID-19.
Criticism of Tanzania’s position has risen, as over 3.8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases have been confirmed on the African continent already – with more than 3.3 million recoveries and 100,000 deaths. There are no figures from Tanzania that stopped sharing data on the same last year.
Archbishop Jude-Thaddeus Ruwa’Ichi of the Catholic Church in Dar es Salaam has led the internal criticism, with several people saying Magufuli is careless because he himself has already been secretly vaccinated.
Magufuli’s position remains odd in East Africa, where Uganda’s President Museveni and Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta have set the pace in Africa, with tough measures to control the pandemic. The two neighbouring countries have undergone months of a complete lock-down, and mask use promoted extensively by the government.
Uganda’s Museveni has twice been to Tanzania in the past six months, and on both occasions, while he wore a mask, Magufuli and his entire cabinet were mask-less.
