Skip to main content

Coronavirus in Tanzania: The country that's rejecting the vaccine

Tanzania is one of the African countries that confirms to be ''Covid-19-free'' and has not published data on the coronavirus for months. Although there are many people dying from the virus the government still rejects to implement the vaccination considering it harmful without providing any evidence.

Tanzania's president John Magufuli have mocked the efficacy of masks, doubted if testing works, and has instead been urging Tanzanians to use steam inhalation and herbal medicines, neither of which have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a treatments.

Health Minister Dorothy Gwajima reiterated president's stance on vaccines and held a press conference to demonstrate how to make a smoothie using ginger, onions, lemons and pepper - a drink, she said without providing evidence, which would help prevent catching coronavirus.

"We must improve our personal hygiene, wash hands with running water and soap, use handkerchiefs, herbal steam, exercise, eat nutritious food, drink plenty of water, and [use] natural remedies that our nation is endowed with," Dr Gwajima said.

There are many people quietly mourning the deaths of family members suspected to have had the virus, however Tanzania's citizens have chosen not to speak out, fearing retribution from the government. 

Furthermore, leaders of the Catholic Church in the country has recently broke their silence and warned the public to observe health measures to curb the spread of the virus. Moreover, the secretary of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference, Father Charles Kitima, told BBC Swahili that the church had noticed a rise in funeral services in urban areas.

Although there are many organisations ready to support the country, e.g. World Health Organization, Tanzania's government prefers to downplay the problem leaving its citizens on their own devices without proper help. Lack od data and president's scepticism about the vaccines makes the fighting against the coronavirus even more difficult, not just for Tanzania but for the whole world.

Sources:

Comments

  1. englishdiary9 February 2021 at 11:22

    This is definitely an interesting piece of news.
    In the future though:
    1. limit your post to about 150 words
    2. clearly separate the report part (1/3 of the text at most) from your comment (where you explain why this info is interesting/surprising/etc. and/or express your own opinion) - in the post above is any of the text your reaction to this news?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bitcoin

Everyone has heard that name once in their lives. Bitcoin is undeniably the most famous cryptocurrency in the world. It was created in 2009 by an anonymous creator hiding their identity under the pseudonym known as Satoshi Nakamoto. Since then, an unknown founder and their $64 billion stake, has long been a point of major interest, especially as their personal wealth continues to grow. From the time it was created, Bitcoin has experienced significant highs and lows - in the past year, the currency has risen over 400%. As of today, one bitcoin is worth about $40,000. The mystery behind such a success may lie in the fact that it was the first cryptocurrency to ever exist and the first using blockchain technology. Bitcoin has not only been a trendsetter, ushering in a wave of cryptocurrencies built on a decentralised peer-to-peer network, but has also become the de facto standard for them, inspiring an ever growing legion of followers and spinoffs. In addition, one of the first tangible i...
1 comment
Read more

What is Cryptocurrency?

To put it simply, cryptocurrency is a medium of exchange digital money that is encrypted and decentralised. It is based on blockchain technology which is a system of recording information in a way that makes it difficult or impossible to change. The fact that it is decentralised means there is no central authority that manages and maintains the value of the cryptocurrency - unlike the U.S Dollar or the Euro. You can use it to buy regular goods and services, although most people invest in it like they do in stocks or precious metals. Everyone can purchase cryptocurrency on peer-to-peer networks and cryptocurrency exchanges, such as Coinbase and Bitfinex; however, investing in it might be risky due to its intense price swings and system differences. Keep in mind to not invest more money than you can afford to lose. There are more than 5,000 different cryptos in circulation and the most popular ones are Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin. Some people even refer to it as 'digital gold'...
1 comment
Read more

The rose phenomenon

When I was on holiday at the seaside with my friends there was a lady that every evening walked around the city and sold roses. What was unconventional is that she was offering the flowers only to the couples or when she saw a man and a woman together. The lady was taking advantage of men feeling pressure of making a good impression on women and usually decided to buy the rose. It is my belief that the lady selling flowers acted inequitable offering them only to the couples. Furthermore, getting leverage over a man feeling guilty for not buying the rose because 'it is appropriate' is damaging for the society and could be linked with the toxic masculinity. It should be someone's choice whether they want to gift their loved ones and especially with what or when. Also receiving a flower because of the forced situation like that must feel awkward and uncomfortable. I believe that if we want to move forward as a society we have to banish stereotypes from our everyday life.
1 comment
Read more