Tanzania blockades avoided. He now rejects Covid-19 vaccines.

This week, Tanzanian Health Minister Dorothy Gwajima said the country had no intention of importing vaccines against Covid-19, including free doses it could get from the global Covax initiative, which aims to supply shots in poor and middle-income countries.

“We are still not satisfied that these vaccines have been clinically proven to be safe,” said Dr. Gwajima at a press conference, alongside government health officials without masks.

The only other African countries that have chosen to give up free vaccines against Covax are Burundi, Eritrea and the island state of Madagascar, according to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which manages the initiative together with the WHO. Other early Covid-19 deniers, such as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who last spring called the coronavirus a “psychosis” that could be combated with vodka, saunas and driving tractors, have since accepted vaccines.

During her lecture, Dr. Gwajima, a doctor with a master’s degree in public health, showed several trays with local herbs that she said could be used to make remedies against coronavirus. He urged Tanzanians to use steam, along with disinfectants and hand washing, to prevent the disease.

“It’s best that we continue to use traditional remedies that have been with us for generations,” he said. “We urge our neighboring countries to learn how we have treated Covid-19. We should be a good role model for them.”

Residents of Tanzania tell a different story. Ugandan and Zambian officials say they see a large number of Tanzanian travelers giving a positive when they try to cross the border. Rwanda denies entry to Tanzanian truckers. Countries as far away as Denmark claim to have detected the most contagious coronavirus strain that first emerged in South Africa in test samples from people arriving from Tanzania.

Within Tanzania, a recent increase in Covid-19-type symptoms and deaths has alarmed the Catholic Church, of which Mr. Magufuli is a member. In a January 26 letter, the head of the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference, Bishop Gervas Nyaisonga, urged his bishops to provide guidance to congregants to fight the disease.

“We should start taking immediate action at the first symptoms and avoid crowded places,” he said. Other church leaders say they have been overwhelmed by the increase in requiem masses to pray for the dead.

At a mass rally last week, Mr Magufui told supporters not to agree to be used as “guinea pigs” for Western vaccine manufacturers. Without providing evidence, he claimed that some Tanzanians had returned with new coronavirus spots after traveling abroad to be vaccinated.

“These vaccines don’t work; they are not good, “said Magufuli, who won a second term in last year’s disputed election.” Tanzanians should be careful with these imported things. “

Mr Magufuli’s statements were countered hours later by the WHO, which urged Tanzania to prepare for a vaccination campaign, encourage the wearing of masks and share data on coronavirus infections.

Opposition politicians also demanded that the government join other African nations in trying to secure vaccines for its citizens.

“What we need as a country are coronavirus vaccines, not a reckless conversation,” said Zitto Kabwe, leader of the opposition Alliance for Change and Transparency party. “These kinds of talks have already caused mass deaths.”

Write to Nicholas Bariyo to [email protected]