AfricaPress-Tanzania: AS Tanzania joined the rest of the world to mark the International Day of Families on Friday, the government has called upon parents and guardians to assess the opportunities and challenges facing their families, especially now as the society is fighting against the coronavirus pandemic.
Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu, said in Dar es Salaam that, parents and guardians should spare considerable time to make close followup on their children and elders, especially on their nutritional status and take appropriate measures if they notice any changes, including reporting them to the health facilities.
She also called upon families to stop discriminating people who have contracted Covid -19 because the habit may affect efforts directed towards battling the pandemic.
“ I am calling upon parents and guardians to be close to their families, especially children and elders, and report immediately any symptoms of coronavirus for further measures to be taken,” she said.
She said that as the world marks family day, parents were also responsible for designing various games for their children, for enabling them to continue learning while at home.
Minister Mwalimu added that, since the schools were still closed, parents should also create friendly environments which will enable children to make follow-ups of the lessons being aired through various media and other networks.
“A family is fundamental to the wellbeing of any society; it is thus crucial to be protected in order to attain sustainable development and protect it against the Covid -19 scourge ,” she said.
The minister further said that due to the importance of the family to the well being of the society, parents and guardians should change their behaviour and perceptions and come up with various ways that will help to overcome various challenges facing families, including Covid-19 infections.
She called upon Tanzanians to continue observing various directives issued by health experts in order to protect themselves and others against infections, by avoiding unwarranted gatherings, washing hands using water and alcoholbased hand rub (sanitizer) and observe social distancing.
The minister , however, called upon regional administration and local government authorities to mark the International Family Day by creating public awareness on how to prevent themselves against Covid-19.
The International Day of Families is observed on May 15 every year to celebrate the importance of families, people, societies and cultures around the world.
Recently, Independent UN human rights experts called on states to boost child protection measures to help safeguard the welfare of millions of children who may be more exposed to violence, sale, trafficking, sexual abuse and exploitation during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, and Najat MaallaM’jid, Special Representative on violence against children, issued the appeal, emphasizing that parents, caregivers, service providers and law enforcement officials all need extra support to minimize the heightened risks to youngsters.
At a time of lockdowns and home isolation, children are at greater risk of experiencing violence, exploitation and challenges to their mental health. “This is especially true of those who are already in vulnerable situations”, Ms M’jid said.
