Connect with us

Coronavirus

President Suluhu Defies Magufuli, Orders Wearing Of Face Masks In Tanzania

Published

4 years ago

on

Tanzania’s new president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, on Friday stressed the importance of face masks in fighting COVID-19, ditching one of the most controversial policies of her late coronavirus-sceptic predecessor.

Hassan took office in March after the death of John Magufuli, who had urged Tanzanians to shun masks and denounced vaccines as a Western conspiracy, to the frustration of the World Health Organization.

Last month, she formed a committee to research whether Tanzania, which under Magufuli stopped reporting coronavirus data, should follow the course that the rest of the world has taken against the pandemic. read more

On Friday, wearing a face mask and flanked by senior government and security officials, also all in masks, Hassan addressed prominent community elders in the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.

Advertisement

“We have come with face masks because elders are in a group of people who are at higher risk of contracting the prevailing disease,” she said. “We have found it is important to protect you.”

One of those present was Health Minister Dorothy Gwajima, who, while Magufuli was president, urged Tanzanians to embrace steam inhalations, traditional medicines and even vegetable smoothies to protect themselves against COVID-19.

Magufuli died in March after weeks of speculation that he was ill with COVID-19.

Kenya Insights allows guest blogging, if you want to be published on Kenya’s most authoritative and accurate blog, have an expose, news TIPS, story angles, human interest stories, drop us an email on [email protected] or via Telegram
Advertisement
Related Content:  Kemri researchers release their analysis of coronavirus strains
Related Topics:

Email [email protected] for news tips, press releases, advertising, sponsored articles and any other inquiries.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Facebook

Most Popular