Tanzania: Support Mission Hospitals to Fight COVID-19, Govt Asked

By Daily News Reporter in Dodoma

CHRISTIAN religious leaders under their umbrella body-Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT) have appealed to the government to support Christian Mission Hospitals to enable them further offer

extra health services to people infected with coronavirus.

Speaking to reporters here yesterday, Secretary of CCT, Reverend Canon Matonya, said health hospitals under Christian missions account for 40 per cent of health facilities in the country.

"We are ready to join forces with the government to fight the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by using our hospitals," said Rev Matonya, while briefing reporters on the just ended CCT meeting in Morogoro Region.

On the discrimination against people infected with coronavirus, he said the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children should develop a special programme through radio and TV stations, which educate members of the public on the pandemic.

He said religious leaders had agreed during the just ended meeting that their Church services would also be enhancing the fight by reminding the masses to seek God's help.

"Servants of God should also encourage Christian worshipers and all the wananchi to trust in the Almighty God, and that God would help out of the coronavirus infections," he added.

Expounding, Rev Matonya said the meeting agreed also that Church services should be short and see into it that followers keep social distances.

"Religious leaders should protect themselves and they should protect also their followers against the coronavirus transmission. The health measures should include, wearing face masks and educating the public," he said.

The Secretary of CCT equally said the religious leaders had agreed that Church leaders should keep on educating their followers on coronavirus in order to contain its spread in the public.

He said CCT has the responsibility to facilitate availability of protective gears, adding that the Churches should also issue members with educative flies on the pandemic.

"Church leaders should mobilise Dioceses to reach to remote areas and educate followers by providing them with face masks largely needed," he said.