Tanzania says to start vaccine rollout soon

Tanzania's government said it is gearing up to roll out vaccinations against Covid-19 soon, in a shift from the policies of the country's former Covid-sceptic leader.

Health Minister Dorothy Gwajima said late Thursday the government was also banning all "unnecessary gatherings" to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Tanzania's late leader John Magufuli had downplayed the gravity of the pandemic and shunned masks for the healing power of prayer, even as neighbouring countries shut their borders and imposed curfews and lockdowns.

The government stopped releasing Covid-19 data in April 2020, with Magufuli saying that issuing the figures was scaring people and describing vaccines as "dangerous".

But since Magufuli's death in March, his successor Samia Suluhu Hassan has taken a different approach, creating an expert taskforce to advise her government about how to best proceed with managing the pandemic.

"This third wave is already in the country and there is nothing to hide," Hassan said earlier this month, urging Tanzanians to follow health guidelines such as wearing masks and washing hands.

Gwajima, who under Magufuli promoted a vegetable smoothie and other purported natural cures to ward off Covid, said vaccines would start being administered soon for free to those who want them, but did not specify a date.

"I call upon all citizens to get prepared for vaccination," she said.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said on Thursday that Tanzania, Eritrea and Burundi were the only countries on the continent yet to begin vaccinating their citizens against Covid-19.

But the country of 58 million had recently submitted its application to join the global Covax vaccine-sharing initiative, and another programme to acquire jabs under the African Union.

"It is now fair to say we have seen a significant shift in Tanzania's position," said John Nkengasong, director of Africa CDC.

Gwajima said Tanzania had 682 Covid patients as of July 21. When the government stopped releasing the figures, it had reported 509 cases and 16 deaths.

It was not immediately clear which vaccine Tanzania would be using.

The government says Magufuli, nicknamed the "Bulldozer" for his uncompromising leadership style, died of a heart condition after a mysterious three-week absence.

But his political opponents insist he had coronavirus.