Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan has re-emphasized on the importance of the general public continuing taking Covid-19 precautions, adding that vaccination is the greatest option.
Similarly, she reminded the people to be watchful against other ailments like HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which are still claiming lives in the country. Making the speech at the 22nd death Anniversary of the Founding Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere that also marked climax of commemorations of the Youth Week involving Uhuru Torch lighting in Chato-Geita, yesterday, the Head of State said: “Covid-19 situation is still not pleasant, the rate of infection is still big…the same applies to diseases like TB, HIV and AIDS, blood pressure and diabetes and people need to take precautions.
“The vaccines are now every corner of Tanzania, I therefore call upon Tanzanians to go and take the vaccines. I also appeal to health experts and youths in their groups to raise awareness on the preventive measures.” President Samia noted that she has been informed that statistics on malaria in the country is still high, especially in the Lake Zone, where infection rate is between 22 percent and 24 percent.
Elaborating, she commented on drug abuse that is also affecting mostly the youth and cautioned against consumption, especially local marijuana cultivation on the slopes of some mountains.
“Growing marijuana is considered a misuse of land, despite the fact that this kind of farming accumulates large chunks of money to some…it’s not acceptable in the country or before God,” pointed the President.
According to her, marijuana has contributed largely in destroying the lives and wellbeing of many youth, hence, called upon the youth to strongly condemn its sale and consumption in the country, adding that healthy lives guarantee good living.
“No one can build a good life or family without the presence of good health, it is therefore, upon everyone to invest in good health including regular health checkups,” said the Head of State. On July 24, this year, Tanzania received the first batch of 1,058,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine donated by the United States government through the COVAX arrangement.
The Covid-19 vaccination rollout campaign has seen a good turn out with the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa last week noting that 80 per cent of the first consignment of the 1,058,400 doses was administered in the public countywide.
Recently, the country received over a million doses of sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines from China in response to an increase in the number of people seeking life-saving jabs. The increase in the number of vaccinate people is attributed to ‘Rapid and Participatory National Covid-19 Immunisation Campaign,’ run by the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children in partnership with the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government, PO-RALG). Equally, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has also been imploring all relevant authorities, religious leaders and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to continue educating the public on the importance of immunization.
“The efforts have seen over 80 per cent of the doses of Covid-19 vaccines being administered in the regions… only few remaining,” said Mr Majaliwa.
According to him, the Covid-19 vaccine is very important for the wellbeing of a person in the voluntary immunisation ongoing countrywide. He noted that the jabs help increase a person’s immunity in fighting the Covid-19 virus, adding that once a person is vaccinated, it helps reducing the severity of the disease in one’s body and chances of death.
