AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) has paid tribute to health workers, who put their lives in danger during the Covid-19 pandemic.
ELCT Head, Bishop Frederick Shoo, said the health workers’ work ethics demonstrated sheer hard work and selflessness, comparing them to frontline soldiers.
“Doctors and nurses were facing an unprecedented workload in overstretched health facilities, yet they did their best to save lives when the country was grappling with the killer virus,” he said before handing over medical equipment to 27 ELCT health facilities at the weekend.
Dr Shoo noted that while Tanzania was declared to be coronavirus-free, there was no need to be complacent and to not take anything to chance, as far as preventative measures were concerned.
“Our medical facilities need to be adequately supplied with medication and other supplies to protect patients and health workers,” said the bishop.
Dr Shoo equally expressed gratitude to ACT Alliance and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) for facilitating material support to ELCT hospitals and health centres.
Earlier on, ELCT Health Director, Dr Paul Mbando, said the equipment which includes Personal protective equipment (PPEs), N 95 facemasks, sanitisers, surgical gowns, boots and utility gloves would be distributed equally to each hospital and health centres under ELCT.
“We provide such donations mindful that our hospitals were strained during the pandemic,” he insisted.
According to Dr Mbando, PPEs will be distributed to medical staff while medicines such as vitamin C, steroids and other pain killers will be given to patients, especially those under palliative care.
Some of the hospitals to benefit from the donation include Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre (ALMC), KCMC, Haydom Hospital and Nkoaranga Hospital. Others are Gonja, Karatu and Machame hospitals.
