Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli has said the number of COVID-19 cases in the country has dropped to an extent that he will be opening colleges next week if the situation remains unchanged.
He was speaking during a Sunday service at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ULCT) in his hometown Chato, on Sunday.
He said God heard the prayers of Tanzanians with a massive reduction in cases of coronavirus patients in the country.
Magufuli said cases in Hospitals have dropped and the few patients still in hospital are showing positive response to treatment.
“God has heard our prayers… Der es salaam Hospital which had 198, today they have only 12, Muloganzira which had 30, now it has 6, Luranzi health center had 50, now it has 22 and they are all in good condition, Agakhan has 31 ….” Magufuli told congregants who were seated close to each other and had no face masks.
President Magufuli also gave a testimony of his biological son who healed completely from coronavirus courtesy of local herbs.
“My own biological child… He isolated himself in a room and started treating himself. He put himself close to vapor of some boiled herbs. He ate lemons and ginger and he has recovered.” he said.
The Tanzanian president who did not announce a lockdown said, Tanzania’s handling of COVID-19 is in such a way that the countries economy comes first before everything else.
He said if the lockdown is announced, the economy would suffer, government would not be able to collect revenue and pay salaries. and church offerings would cease.
Being an independent nation, Magufuli said Tanzania will not be ruled by COVID-19.
However, Magufuli’s statement comes at a time after the US Embassy issued a health alert raising concern over rising and unreported cases of coronavirus in Tanzania
The alert noted that the outbreak was being treated as “a security issue, not a public health issue”, meaning the health minister did not have the final say.
The official figures which are above 500 with more tha 21 deaths have come under criticism by external and internal sources citing lack of transparency in Magufuli’s government on matters of COVID-19 pandemic.
Recent media reports indicate that the numbers of coronavirus patients in Tanzania are rising and hospitals in the country are overwhelmed.
Also read: https://sabasabaupdates.com/2020/05/13/us-embassy-in-tanzania-raises-concern-over-rising-and-unreported-covid-19-cases/