Africa-Press – Tanzania. MINISTER for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children Dr Dorothy Gwajima has hyped the importance of traditional medicines in treating various illnesses, stressing that the onset of Covid- 19 vaccines did not come to replace the herbal remedies.
Dr Gwajima made the clarification yesterday during her tour of Sekou – Toure Regional Referral Hospital in Mwanza, following misleading reports that the government has ignored the use of traditional medicines in the fight against Covid -19 pandemic.
The minister explained that, the use of traditional medicines in the country is guided by the law governing the establishment of Traditional and Alternative Medicine Health Practice Council of Tanzania enacted by Parliament in 2002.
“The law aimed at ensuring formation of the council, which will help to identify natural plants whose products could be used in treating various illnesses… the council has been producing herbal remedies, which are used in different parts of the country after being approved by Chief Government Chemist,” she said.
Dr Gwajima further clarified that, during the pandemic outbreak last year, traditional medicine experts came up with variety of herbal remedies, which were helpful to the people and those who could not afford to buy them, were showed how they could make them at home.
“The onset of vaccines did not come to replace traditional medicines as the New Testament did not come to replace Old Testament, but to fulfill its prophesies,” she said.
However, Dr Gwajima condemned the ongoing misinformation about Covid -19 vaccines through various social platforms, calling upon Tanzanians to seek correct information from authentic sources, so as to make informed decision on the vaccination.
“Health has now been taken as political agenda, some people use it to mislead the public … district and regional commissioners should not allow such people to mislead public by talking about biological issues, while they are not professionals,” pointed out the minister.
Dr Gwajima also clarified on her remarks about Kawe Member of Parliament Bishop Josephat Gwajima to substantiate his statements against Covid-19 vaccines and corruption allegations.
The minister said that she did not order the arrest of Bishop Gwajima, but wanted him to be summoned for interrogation and clarify his corruption and fake vaccines allegations. In another development, Dr Gwajima said that the fifth phase government under the administration of late President John Magufuli did not deny Covid -19 vaccines, but warned the ministry against rushing to acquiring jabs without verifying their safety and efficacy.
“After President Magufuli’s remarks my ministry started working on procedures of verifying the vaccines … the efforts were backed by the sixth phase government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan. “President Samia formed a Commission to advise her on Covid- 19 pandemic and the government is satisfied that the vaccines are safe through various verification processes done by local experts,” she said.
Recently TMDA Acting Director of Medical Products Control, Dr Yonah Hebron Mwalwisi allayed fear on safety of the Covid-19 vaccines, saying his agency is well acquainted with their development.
“There have been concerns about safety of the vaccines and chemical composition …I want to assure the public that TMDA is well aware of the Johnson &Johnson vaccine being rolled out in the country, including the proteins and ingredients used,” Dr Mwalwisi said during a national dialogue on Covid-19 held recently in Dar es Salaam.
He further noted that, when the vaccines are listed by WHO, TMDA is participating in the process by ensuring that it acquired detailed information from when the vaccines started to be developed and when it is tested in animals to evaluate its safety and potential to prevent disease.
“We also ensure that we get information when it is tested in human in three phases including when is given to a small number of volunteers, to several hundred volunteers and thousands of volunteers and finally, when it is listed for emergency use,” Dr Mwalwisi said.
