Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA has over 100 Covid – 19 patients admitted to the country’s hospitals, President Samia Suluhu said yesterday, cautioning the public to be wary and take all the necessary precautions.
Among them, she said, about 70 patients have been placed on ventilators and others are undertaking ordinary medical treatment.
“Based on the reports I received the day before yesterday, the country has over 100 Covid-19 patients, whereas over 70 patients are on ventilator machines and others are on ordinary treatment,” she noted.
President Samia said as much as the number might not be large but the country needs to take precaution, so that the number does not shoot up.
Besides, the President said the country’s experts are working on the kind of vaccines, which the country can acquire and administer to the people through voluntary procedure. President Samia disclosed this during a meeting with editors from various media houses at the State House in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
She urged Tanzanians to resort to all the necessary preventive measures, particularly those being recommended by experts.
“If you think steaming inhalation works for you better, go for it, if it’s medicine then be it but what we encourage, is for you to follow experts’ advice including washing hands with clean running water and soap, wear face masks and exercise social distancing among other measures,” said the president.
She noted that the country has resorted to moving along with the the world, noting that it was learnt that the first wave slightly affected the country because the alert was high.
“The second wave’s effects were a bit extreme as compared to the first wave and the third wave is taking a huge toll across the world.” She said special team of experts she formed to professionally evaluate the Covid-19 pandemic and come up with recommendations, of which, the team submitted its first report but the same team was later tasked to come up with world outlook and how the situation is being approached worldwide, particularly on vaccination issues and the country’s ability to store the vaccines.
The President went on to reveal that the team of experts was given about a month to deliver on the task and it has already presented the report which was tabled in the cabinet last week.
“The process of vaccination in the country will be voluntary, individuals who wish to be vaccinated shall be vaccinated and the same apply to those who don’t wish to be vaccinated… no one will be forced to get vaccination,” she insisted.
She hinted that a majority of people from the business community have been vaccinated in different countries and they are going on with their usual businesses. Besides, she said, the country’s experts in collaboration with international community have been allowed to carry on with vaccination procedures.
Outlining the procedure for applying for the vaccines, she said developing countries were required to apply through the Covax facility, whereby the deadline for countries intending to procure vaccines in the coming year (2022) was June 15. Countries that could not tender their application will have to wait until 2023.
President Samia said such a requirement pushed Tanzania to rush to file its application, while other issues of identifying the kind of vaccines would be addressed later. According to the president, a good number of international organisations have offered to support Tanzania, yet still it is for the country’s experts to advice on the kind of vaccine to be approved for use.
“The countries have secured a sum of 470 million US dollars equivalent to 1.08tri/- for battling Covid-19, which will be distributed into two halves for protection and support the sectors which have been hit hard by the pandemic,” noted President Samia.
She said the situation in neighbouring countries and the country’s borders is alarming, emphasising people to play their part and mostly the protection of children.
President Samia also challenged the media to play its part effectively to educate the masses on preventive measures to follow to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
