AfricaPress-Tanzania: TANZANIA has maintained its stance of employing African expertise in producing its own medicines and vaccines in dealing with outbreaks like the Covid-19.
Tanzania’s position is strengthened by the remarkable success organic concoction has had on combating the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Minister, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi presented the position at the 34th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), held through a Video Conference over the weekend.
Prof Kabudi, who was representing President John Magufuli at the meeting, noted that Tanzania has always been clear with regard to its position in the fight against the global pandemic..
“The time has come for the continent to build the capacity of its health sector experts, to produce drugs and vaccines in times of disease outbreaks,” said Prof Kabudi.
President John Magufuli has continuously commended the use of herbal remedies for self-care and medication while directing additional budget allocation for the traditional medicine department to improve healthcare service.
Mid last year, the Head of State acknowledged traditional healers, who use herbs to heal illnesses, and tasked relevant authorities to ensure they are supported as a valid option in healthcare provision.
“For sometimes now we have been turned cowards by the developments in science and technology to ignore the plantbased traditional medication. We must change… these herbs come from the exact plants used in the making of prescription drugs,” he said.
Based on that, Prof Kabudi said by maintaining dependence on medicines and vaccines from other continents, Africa was depriving and undermining its ability and its position in the fight against outbreaks.
The minister further stressed on the need for African countries to use its experts in producing their own drugs and locally made traditional medicines, while devising ways like vaccines in the prevention of such diseases.
Recently, President Magufuli hyped his call to all Tanzanians to embrace the use of traditional medicines while exercising maximum precaution against Covid-19 pandemic.
Giving examples, President Magufuli said traditional medicines such as Covidol and Bubiji have proven to be effective in fighting the pandemic.
The medicines have been proven by the Chief Government Chemist. “These medicines have proven to be effective in taming viruses and bacteria by 99.9 per cent,” he said.
Dr Magufuli cautioned people against embracing misconceptions that medicines coming from abroad are the only ones which should be relied on.
A press release of the Ordinary Summit quoted the AU incoming Chairperson, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Felix Tshisekedi apparently supporting Tanzania’s position stating “It is imperative for our organization to strengthen the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in order to respond effectively to emergencies and complex health challenges, as a specialised technical institution of the African Union.”
President Tshisekedi applauded the ingenuity and resilience shown by African countries in the fight against the pandemic.
On his part, the AU outgoing Chairperson, President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa stated that “despite the upheaval caused by this disease, our response as a continent has been about partnership, resilience, innovation and the sharing of strategies and resources.
“The people of this continent have shown themselves to be resourceful and agile. Significantly, this pandemic has demonstrated the importance and the value of our continental body, the African Union,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tanzania recommended for the AU to use this year’s theme “Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want” to implement its decision of establishing a heritage centre for the liberation movement of Southern Africa in Tanzania.
“In implementing the theme, Africa needs to promote, develop and use Kiswahili as the lingua franca of the whole continent and in all AU official activities,” noted Prof Kabudi.
