TANZANIA has stepped up its action plan to contain the spread of coronavirus with the government yesterday ordering a month-long closure of all nursery, primary and secondary schools in the country.
The decision to suspend learning in the schools for thirty days came hardly a day after the country registered her first confirmed case of the viral disease.
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa told journalists in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday that the schools were closed effective yesterday.
The government has also suspended Form Six national examination which was scheduled to commence on May 4 this year, directing the students to remain calm as the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology was working on the new timetable which will also be determined on the success of the anti-Covid-19 fight.
The Premier pointed out that the government was taking all possible measures to control the spread of the disease in the country, noting the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, was working hard to address the problem.
“The government has strengthened screening of passengers entering the country through airports, ports, and border points to identify those with coronavirus symptoms,” said Mr Majaliwa.
Other interventions taken by the government include enhancing the capacity of the national health laboratory to diagnose the viral diseases and provide results within a short time.
The government has also suspended unnecessary gatherings such as sport activities, music concerts, political activities, graduations and other social activities.
Mr Majaliwa directed ministries and institutions to suspend all seminars, workshops, symposium and all meetings which involve participants from the worst hit countries.
Highlighting other drastic measures taken by the government, the PM said all sport activities such as Vodacom Premier League (VPL), First Division League (FDL), Second Division League (SDL) and others have been suspended with immediate effect.
He further said that the government was also proceeding with enhancing capacity to health personnel in overcoming the diseases, attending the patient, taking samples and abiding by health regulations.
According to the Premier, there are already five health facilities which will set up special camps for hosting patients who will be confirmed to have contracted the viral disease.
The hospitals are Muhimbili National Hospital- Mloganzila in Dar es Salaam , Buswelu Health Centre in Mwanza, Mawenzi Hospital in Kilimanjaro, Mnazi Mmoja in Zanzibar and Chake Chake in Pemba.
The government also directed the ministry of health to ensure that traders do not take advantage of the diseases by hiking the price of hand sanitisers and warned traders against increasing the price of the essential protective gears.
In another development, the government has released 50 0 m/- to the ministry of health to be used for preparations of health facilities that will be responsible for handling possible coronavirus cases.
Mr Majaliwa said that money is part of the 1bn/- which was allocated for this year’s Uhuru Torch race which has been shelved following the outbreak of the disease.
On Monday, the Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children Ms Ummy Mwalimu, informed the nation that the country confirmed a case of coronavirus after a patient who is aged 46 left the country for Belgium on March 3, returned to the country on March 15 after visiting Sweden and Denmark.
She returned to Tanzania from Belgium aboard Rwandair flight, landing at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) around 4pm. Upon her arrival, she was screened in a thermal scanner.
By that time, her temperature was normal but she was coughing.
“But the woman was skeptical of her health condition because in Belgium, she was hosted by a family whose one of members had been affected by coronavirus. So upon arrival at KIA, she decided to have self-isolation instead of going directly to her home,” said the minister, referring to her conversation with the patient over the phone.
She went to lock herself in a hotel room for a while, before later on going to the Mount Meru Hospital for treatment.
Her sample would eventually be tested at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) where the finding proved that she was infected with COVID-19.
