Tanzania's new president forms COVID-19 task force, unlike skeptical predecessor

Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Sunday, April 18, 2021 said she has formed a committee of experts that will advise her on the status of COVID-19 in the country and the necessary steps to take.

She called on religious leaders to preach on the disease to worshippers in order for them to take precaution measures as advised by health experts including hand washing with soap and running water, using sanitizers, maintaining social distancing and use of face masks.

President Hassan made the statement in Dodoma during a national conference organized by religious leaders to remember ex-President John Magufuli and pray for the new leaders including herself and her Zanzibar counterpart, Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi.

Speaking during the event, she said the disease has been evolving into different phases with the virus changing its variants.

“As I promised during the swearing in of the Permanent Secretaries and their deputies, I have already formed a committee. I’m expecting to meet its members and representatives of the Ministry of Health and those from the Ministry of Finance and Planning in the near future in order to establish the way forward,” she said.

She asked clerics to take the agenda to worshipers, saying though the magnitude of the disease isn’t that huge it is inappropriate to completely dismiss its presence in the country.

“Let me promise that I will be frequently provide new updates on the disease from the committee in order to save the country from losing significant manpower and protect those in danger of contracting the disease,” she said.