Africa-Press – Tanzania. PRESIDENT John Magufuli has asked Tanzanians, irrespective of their religious affiliations, to continue thanking the Almighty God for his grace and miracles he has continued to extend to the nation.
Delivering his Christmas best wishes and a message to the nation after he attended church service at the Roman Catholic Mary Immaculate Parish in Chamwino District in Dodoma, President Magufuli said given the hard times the world is going through, Tanzanians have every reason to kneel before God and extend their sincere thanks for protecting them.
Placing Covid-19 pandemic at the core of his message, President Magufuli said it is the responsibility and duty of all Tanzanians to appreciate God’s love and miracles that are still being seen at this time when the world is battling the pandemic that had, until yesterday afternoon, claimed 1,750,909 people in the world.
The Head of State called on world leaders to put God at the forefront in the fight against Covid-19, instead of focusing only on scientific approach.
“The grace of God and all his miracles were manifested in Tanzania as we managed to overcome Covid-19 pandemic amid the hard time the world was passing through,” he said, noting that Tanzania has been freed from the pandemic.
During his message to the country, Dr Magufuli asked Tanzanians to continue working hard and praying for the country for present and future prosperity of the nation.
In mid-April this year, President Magufuli asked Tanzanians to spend three days in national prayers for the country to be spared from the global pandemic.
“My fellow Tanzanians, due to the presence of Coronavirus, I request that we spend three days from 17-19 April (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) to pray to God who is the master of everything to rescue us from this disaster, lets pray according to our beliefs,” read a tweet from President Magufuli.
Led by religious leaders, Tanzanians form across the country began the national prayers on April 17 where by then the pandemic had claimed lives of five people, and 147 others had tested positive of the pandemic, according to a report that was issued by the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender Elderly and Children.
In June this year, the government through the then Minister of Health, Ms Ummy Mwalimu announced a decrease in the number of Covid-19 patients, where at that time there were three patients at Amana Centre and one at Mloganzila.
The minister made the revelation in Tanga region while accompanying Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, who was in the region for an official tour.
“There are no patients in Tanga region, and all the designated quarantine centres in the region have been closed, because we don’t have further infections, thanks to all health specialists,” she pointed out.
The ‘Daily News’ visited some of the designated centres for Covid- 19 patients in Dar es Salaam region, only to observe that Amana hospital had already decontaminated the wards that hosted Coronavirus patients.
The Amana Centre Covid- 19 Focal Person, Dr Stanley Binagi said despite the decline in number of patients, they would remain standby to receive other patients in case of any future outbreak of the respiratory disease.
Due to the decline in the number of Covid-19 Cases, President Magufuli, in June 11 this year, announced re-opening of schools, making Tanzania the first East African country to do so after Covid-19 outbreak forced the government to suspend classes.
Dr Magufuli made the announcement in his speech to dissolve the 11th Parliament.
“I would like to use this opportunity to announce all schools that were closed as part of efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic in March this year are re-opened for students and pupils to proceed with their studies,” Dr Magufuli announced.
