Tanzanians vaccinated against Covid-19 now reach 460,000, says govt

Director of Prevention at the Ministry of Health, Dr Leonard Subi.

By Herieth Makwetta

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Summary

• The Director of Diseases Control at the ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, the Elderly and Children, Dr Leonard Subi, has called on religious leaders and people of different walks of life to continue educating the public on the importance of vaccination

Dar es Salaam. Two weeks after the launch of a countrywide campaign dubbed: ‘Ujanja ni kuchanja,’ the number of Tanzanians vaccinated against Covid-19 has reached 460,000 as of September 29, this year.

Since the commencement of the 'Participatory and Immediate Community Immunization Program' against the viral disease under the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children in collaboration with the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Government, PO-RALG), vaccination centres have increased from 550 to 6,784.

The Director of Diseases Control at the ministry, Dr Leonard Subi, has called on religious leaders and people of different walks of life to continue educating the public on the importance of vaccination.

Dr Subi said when they reach different parts of the country, unvaccinated citizens will take the appropriate decision to take the jabs against the killer disease and maintain their health to carry out production activities aimed at boosting the country’s economy.

He said, in April, this year, President Samia Suluhu Hassan formed a committee to assess the situation of the pandemic in the country and health experts proposed the adoption of different measures including vaccination.

"Vaccines are effective to the health of people, therefore, Tanzanians should avoid misleading information from unprofessional critics because all scientific measures in developing the same have been observed,” said Dr. Subi.

He said the ministry continues to intensify the fight against Covid-19 in the country through preventive and curative interventions including strengthening systems.

Dr. Subi said currently the ministry is implementing a plan to ensure that hospitals have oxygen production plants.

He revealed that the European Union, through the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), funds the sector in four regions of the country including Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Lindi and Mtwara at a cost of Sh4.5 billion for a two-year project.

However, some residents of Dar es Salaam said they have not yet made a decision to vaccinate because they have not well been educated about the significance of taking the jabs.

“The government should educate us about a vaccination exercise, so that we can decide whether to take the jabs or not,” said Mr Othman Charangwa, a resident of Mbande in the city of Dar es Salaam.

Msongola resident Jenifer Albert said, “the government is responsible for providing us with pre-requisite education on vaccination that will facilitate citizens’ decision-making.”