By Faith Nyasuguta
Tanzanian head of state Samia Suluhu will launch Covid-19 vaccination in the country on Wednesday at the Dar es Salaam statehouse.
This comes even as the East African nation gears towards giving jabs to its priority population with the one million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Health minister Dorothy Gwajima on Saturday said the nation that had previously downplayed the Covid-19 pandemic received some 1,058,400 doses of the Johnson&Johnson vaccine alias Janssen from the US.
In a Monday statement, Gwajima announced that President Samia will be the first to get the Covid-19 jab in mainland Tanzania after the launch of the vaccination campaign.
“The Ministry calls on all other leaders to follow this example and show the way for all citizens to access this Covid-19 vaccine voluntarily and free of charge,” she said.
Gwajima added that the Health Ministry would communicate on procedures for the vaccine distribution and even provide vaccination procedures in health outlets.
By early July, the country’s archipelago of Zanzibar had already received some Chinese-manufactured Sinovac vaccines and launched vaccination.
Vaccination in the mainland launches on Wednesday.
“Vaccination is one of the most important and reliable interventions in the world in the fight against infectious diseases, including Covid -19. So, Tanzanians should take advantage of this important opportunity,” the minister said.
The Tanzanian government is set to receive more jabs from other nations to ensure they vaccinate more people.
Gwajima has called on Tanzanians to continue following Covid-19 prevention measures including frequent handwashing with clean water and soap, wearing masks, exercise and good nutrition.
Residents have also been urged to use natural remedies already registered by the Alternative Medicine Council.
