The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging officials in Tanzania to follow science in the fight against the coronavirus, after the country’s president said the approved vaccines are “dangerous” and that “not all vaccines are of good intentions to our nation.”
“Urging #Tanzania to ramp up public health measures such as wearing masks to fight #COVID19. Science shows that #VaccinesWork and I encourage the government to prepare for a COVID vaccination campaign,” WHO’s Regional Africa Director Dr. Matshidiso Moeti said on January 28, following President John Magufuli’s comments from the previous day. “WHO is here to support the government and people of Tanzania,” Moeti added.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus echoed Moeti’s comments, saying “I join @MoetiTshidi’s call for strong health measures and #COVID19 vaccine preparedness. Data-sharing by #Tanzania is also key, with cases surfacing among travelers and visitors over the months.” During a news conference on Monday (February 1), Tanzania’s Health Minister Dorothy Gwajima didn’t say when the country will start receiving vaccines but instead reiterated the government’s suggested hygiene practices, which include drinking plenty of water and taking local herbs, which the government claims, can combat the virus.
