AfricaPress-Tanzania: A DOWNWARD trend in coronavirus cases in the country is clearly a result of an effective approach the government of Tanzania has taken to fight against the deadly disease, thanks to President John Magufuli’s stand and advice on the pandemic.
While he was still in Chato, Geita Region, President Magufuli appealed to Tanzanians not to fear too much for the coronavirus (Covid-19) was like any other deadly disease.
He emphasised that fearing too much could be more deadly than the novel virus itself. He said since we had put God above anything else he won’t leave us alone.
He also insisted to observe preventive measures against the pandemic as recommended by health experts and the government. His counsel has ended in roaring success as far as the pandemic is concerned.
Speaking during Eid el Fitr prayers at Gaddafi Mosque in Dodoma on Sunday, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said the number of coronavirus patients in Tanzania had continued declining with most quarantine centres remaining empty.
This was good news to all of us. For example, Dar es Salaam centres of Mloganzila, Amana and Aga Khan each has a patient, while Kairuki, Rabinisia, Regency and Temeke hospitals have none.
Only a few patients are still hospitalised. The success story did not come overnight, but the combination of scientific and religious efforts towards containing the spread of the pandemic in the country has paid off.
Addressing the nation at different times, President John Magufuli often emphasised a need to observe all preventive measures against the scourge as recommended by health experts and ask for God’s intervention to end the pandemic.
The measures and efforts made in the fight against Covid-19 show how faith and works complement each other as practiced in Christianity and Islam.
For example, in Islam constant practice and discernible actions are emphasised.
Submitting to God means that Muslims follow a middle path in all things, do not go to extremes and salvation depends on having the correct belief and doing good works.
In Christianity, faith and works are inextricably linked together.
So, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. The combination of both faith and good works have proved to be the approaches employed by Tanzania in the fight against the spread of the pandemic.
Unlike other countries across the world, Tanzania did not impose a lockdown, but urged citizens to maintain social distancing, wear facemasks and wash their hands with running water and soap.
Despite all these successes, Tanzanians have been urged to continue observing preventive measures by wearing facemasks, washing their hands regularly with water using soap or sanitisers and maintaining social distancing.
