The president of Tanzania has questioned coronavirus vaccines and other measures to curb the spread of the pandemic, doubling his thinking that only God can protect the East African nation. His comments come a day before the World Health Organization called on the country to take measures to protect its population.
President John Magufuli of Tanzania on Wednesday spoke to a large, unmasked crowd in the north-west of the country, questioning the effectiveness of vaccines and discouraging the Ministry of Health from following doses, saying the shots were not ‘beneficial’ for the eastern African country.
“Vaccines do not work,” he said. Magufuli, 61, said in his speech. ‘If the white man could come up with vaccinations, vaccination for AIDS would be brought. Vaccinations for tuberculosis would be a thing of the past. Vaccines for malaria would be found. Vaccines for cancer would be found. ”
On Thursday, dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the regional director for the WHO in Africa, requested the Tanzanian government to share data, take measures to protect citizens against the virus and prepare for the vaccine. “Science shows that #VaccinesWork,” said Dr. Moeti tweeted.
From the beginning of the pandemic, the Tanzanian government has been widely criticized for its approach to the virus, and the personal denial of Mr. Magufuli over the severity of public health problems has become increasingly problematic in recent months. On Wednesday, he warned Tanzanians about their use as “guinea pigs” in the blast of the vaccine, asked them to eat well and pray to God, saying they should not expect any restrictions from his government.
“I do not expect to announce an exclusion even one day because we live God, and he will continue to protect Tanzanians,” he said. Magufuli said to applause.
Mr. Magufuli also accuses some Tanzanians of leaving the country to be vaccinated, only to bring back a ‘foreign species’ of the coronavirus. Mr. Magufuli has in the past mocked social distance and mask wear, promoting an unproven herbal tea from Madagascar as a drug and questioning test kits provided by the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since mid-last year, his government has also not shared any data on the virus with the World Health Organization, with reported cases in the country, with a population of about 58 million, still at 509, with 21 deaths.
Mr. Magufuli was re-elected in October for a second term of five years in a vote accused of widespread fraud, combating opposition and restrictions on social media.