Steam therapy machines will remain intact, says national hospital

By Mpoki Thomson

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Tanzania's national hospital, Muhimbili, has stated that the Covid-19 steam inhalation machines that ...

were placed at the hospital's premises will remain intact.

The response follows an appeal allegedly made by Member of Parliament Dr Hamis Kigwangalla calling upon Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) to remove the steam inhalation machines from the hospital grounds reasoning that they portray a bad image of the hospital in dealing with the virus.

However, MNH has not heeded to the advice, instead, they've maintained their stand that the steam machines are one of the remedies against Covid-19, further seeking validity from research made by Israel and Italy which revealed that steam therapy can be adopted as a health safety measure against coronavirus and other respiratory illnesses

The MNH management sought to provide clarity on the steam therapy issue by saying that Covid-19 is a novel virus with no cure at the moment despite research being conducted by numerous countries. So, according to the hospital, Tanzania is using steam therapy as one of the ways of mitigating the impact of the virus.

According to the hospital, approximately 1,1000 individuals, including health experts who've used steam therapy have expressed satisfaction with the results of the method as a mitigating factor.

Steam therapy machines infused with herbal antidotes were installed in MNH, the country's biggest referral treatment facility in Dar es Salaam earlier this year after the health ministry had embarked on a spirited campaign to boost public confidence in the steam machines for the sole purpose of curbing the virus.

However, some global health experts, including the World Health Organization have disputed the effectiveness of steaming as a viable treatment of Covid-19.

In further advice shared on his Twitter account, Dr Kigwangalla called on the government to consider taking more stern measures against the virus, such as advocating government officials to start wearing face masks and also accept Covid-19 vaccines to be imported and used in Tanzania.