Tanzania: Don't Rush Students Back to China - PM

By Katare Mbashiru in Dodoma

THE government has advised Tanzanian students who are pursuing their studies in China but are

currently on holiday in the country not to travel back to the Coronavirus stricken-nation pending safety confirmation from authorities.

Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa issued the travel advisory in parliament on Thursday during a session of impromptu questions to the Prime Minister when responding to a question posed by Mafinga Urban Lawmaker, Cosato Chumi (CCM).

Mr Majaliwa called upon parents whose children came back home for the holidays to avoid sending them back to school -- until the country receives appropriate diplomatic communications regarding the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

In his question, Mr Chumi wanted to know the government's preparedness on how to avert the two disasters that are likely to occur in the country-Coronavirus and a large swarm of desert locusts tha threaten the East and Horn of Africa regions.

"In recent days the world has experienced two major disasters including coronavirus outbreak in our friendly nation of China and locusts that have wreaked havoc in the neighbouring countries of the East African Region," stated the MP. He then posed a question to PM Majaliwa: "How is the government prepared to avert these disasters that threatens growth of development bearing in mind that we have good business ties with China?"

Responding, the Premier said that it was shocking to see that many people in China were dying and warned Tanzanian students against travelling back to the Asian nation as fears over the fatal coronavirus continue to grow.

"China has been our friend for a long time and many Tanzanians live there as many Chinese live in Tanzania too, therefore we have had several interventions between our two brotherly countries," he said.

"We understand that there are parents with children who are studying in China and who came for holidays, but we advise them that they should not travel until we receive proper diplomatic communications from there," he said.

According to PM Majaliwa, the government was well prepared in intensifying communications with the Tanzanian embassy in China to establish the status of the deadly disease, adding that the country's envoy to China, Mr Mbelwa Kairuki was providing information on a daily basis.

He said Mr Kairuki was doing a great job in providing education and awareness to 'our people in China' by using Tanzanian medical experts on how to protect themselves, including avoiding unnecessary movements.

He also said the government advised Tanzanians in China who wish to come back to the country to communicate with the embassy on how best they can be evacuated.

The prime minister, reaffirmed that there have been no confirmed coronavirus cases in Tanzania so far, and that the Ministry for Health issued information regarding the disease on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ummy Mwalimu said that health authorities remain on high alert owing to the rapid spread of the virus, adding that authorities had expanded the thermal screening facility at all major airports.

The minister said the novel coronavirus had not been detected in the country yet but insisted the government was taking no chances, revealing that screening exercises for incoming passengers was conducted in major airports-- Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), Kilimanjaro Airport (KIA) and Mwanza Airport.

According to her, about 140 medical equipment had been installed at all major airports, borders and ports and that medical experts have been trained to handle the screening process to reduce the risk of transmission from persons jetting in who might be infected.

Equally, Ms Mwalimu added, Infectious Diseases Unit (IDU) has been set up at Mawenzi in Kilimanjaro, Buswelu in Mwanza and Kigamboni in Dar es Salaam in order to avoid paralysing medical services as well as reducing patients' traffic at major health facilities in the country.

The death toll in China from a mysterious new virus climbed to 170 yesterday after 38 people died from the day before as foreign governments attempt to airlift their citizens from the coronavirusstricken country.

Coronavirus is not the only threat with large swarms of locust jeopardizing livelihood and food security in the East African region, prompting calls for interventions from regional governments.

Mr Majaliwa said that already, the Ministry of Agriculture in Tanzania and their counterparts in Kenya have communicated to see how to avert the disaster.

He reminded residents in all border regions and districts to volunteer information to relevant authorities should they see the fast-running insects.