Author: ANNE ROBI
AfricaPress-Tanzania: EVERY nation in the world fights a particular war with weapons at their disposal. That is what exactly happened and continues to happen with Tanzania as the world wages a spirited battle against Covid-19.
Despite the fight against the pandemic being tough and threatening, Tanzanians, led by President John Magufuli who is the country’s Chief Comforter, came up with different tactics apart from using conventional strategies recommended by health experts such as putting on masks, washing hands and social distancing.
It was the time when Tanzanians came together as a nation to hold a three-day prayer, asking for God’s intervention against the disease.
Governments in most countries in the world imposed lockdown as a strategy to halt the spread of the coronavirus but President Magufuli took a different path that led to the total curbing of the disease and eventually winning the battle against the pandemic.
Prayers and the decision not to impose lockdown are not only the issues that raised the eyebrows of people outside the country as the proposal to practice steam inhalation therapy that proved efficiency left scientists perplexed all over the world.
However, it should be noted that before Tanzania announced the first case President Magufuli issued a strong alert calling on individuals, media, and security bodies to play their role in preventive measures.
He went further by appealing to individual Tanzanians to limit their travels even from one region to another, warning them that the disease had no cure yet.
“There are people who always travel from one region to another, please don’t interrupt them if it isn’t necessary,” Dr Magufuli was quoted as emphatically stating. “You should know that we (Tanzanians) have not yet reported any case, but we can’t stay relaxed, that is why we have started taking preventive measures,” President Magufuli stated, as he called upon Tanzanians not to ignore alerts provided by the government.
Apart from discouraging individuals’ unnecessary travels, the Head of State reminded them of avoiding body contact such as handshaking, hugging or kissing.
He told the media, which is regarded as a strong tool for communication, also to embark on education campaign on a daily basis.
“Editors in all media houses should consider putting a piece of information reminding the public over preventive measures over the pandemic,” he said.
Equally, Dr Magufuli directed security organs to be wary and effectively protect the country’s borders so that people from other countries do not enter through informal borders.
The President stated that Tanzania was economically moving well, but it will shake if the disease will find its way into the country.
Reinforcing, the Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children Ms Ummy Mwalimu before announcing the first case on March 16, 2020, appealed to the public to take precautions against the virus urging the public to avoid shaking hands, hugging and kissing as a way to prevent infection.
Few days later, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa issued a statement extending a 30-day ban on public gatherings to include schools, football leagues, sports, music events, political meetings and community events.
Mr Majaliwa directed for the authorities to expand thermal screening facilities at all major airports, screening for incoming passengers in major airports–Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), Kilimanjaro Airport (KIA) and Mwanza Airport.
The Ministry installed about 140 medical equipment at all major airports, borders and ports, trained medical experts to handle the screening process to reduce the risk of transmission from persons jetting in who might be infected.
On the other hand, the head of the State directed for thorough investigations of the virus test kits after he suspected them to be producing wrong results. He also urged Tanzanians to use herbal medications to control the spread of the disease.
