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Tanzanians urged to use traditional medicine for Covid-19

Monday February 01 2021
Herbal medicine.

Tanzania's Health minister says the Government Chemist has been working to certify a number of natural local remedies that have met safety standards. PHOTO | FILE

By BEATRICE MATERU

Tanzania’s Health Ministry on Monday has urged citizens to practice hygiene and use traditional medicine to treat Covid-19.

“We Tanzanians should be a good model to our neighbouring countries in improving our personal hygiene and the use of our local herbs which are not only for Covid-19 but for other diseases as well such as asthma, flu and other novel diseases,” Minister Dorothy Gwajima said in Dodoma.

The Government Chemist has been working to certify a number of natural local remedies that have met safety standards, she added.

“These traditional remedies have been in use for ages in our societies and many have been helped by them, including myself and my family,” Dr Gwajima said.

She said some Tanzanian-made herbal remedies already approved by the government chemist include Covidol, NIMRCAF, Planet plazplaz, Bingwa and Covontaxer. Others are Uzima, Bupiji and Lemogracy essential oil.

“For now let’s improve personal hygiene and the environment by washing our hands with running water and soap, using sanitisers and other traditional remedies.”

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The minister added that the country will not import any foreign coronavirus vaccines.

“For now Tanzania has no intention of importing any of the vaccines being reported in other countries until we are satisfied they have been clinically proven to be safe,” she said.

Recent reports of a new strain of the novel Covid-19 virus in various countries, including some bordering Tanzania, have raised numerous questions from the public.

President John Magufuli announced the country to be corona-free six months ago in a public address in the capital city Dodoma.

He ordered a full re-opening of borders and economic activities, saying God had answered the country's prayers. The president said there was no longer a need to curtail economic activities while hospitals across Tanzania had empty beds having discharged nearly all Covid-19 positive patients after they tested negative for the virus.

The East African country received a shipment of Madagascar’s self-proclaimed plant-based coronavirus remedy on May 8 despite warnings from the World Health Organization (WHO) that its efficacy was unproven.

Tanzania last posted coronavirus updates on April 29 when the national caseload stood at 509 with 21 deaths and 183 recoveries.

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