“If the white man was able to come up with vaccinations, he should have found a vaccination for Aids, cancer and TB by now,” said the President of Tanzania Mr Magufuli.
For months Tanzania’s government has reported that the country was free from Covid-19 – so there are no plans for vaccination.
BBC reported that President Magufuli along with other top government officials, have mocked the efficacy of masks, doubted if testing works, and teased neighbouring countries which have imposed health measures to curb the virus.
Mr Magufuli has also warned that Covid-19 vaccines could be harmful and has instead been urging Tanzanians to use steam inhalation and herbal medicines, neither of which have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) as treatments.
The president has expressed such scepticism about the vaccines but he recently said that Tanzanians should not be used as “guinea pigs”.
The WHO is urging President Magufuli and the Tanzanian government to consider vaccination against Covid.
“Vaccines work and I encourage the [Tanzanian] government to prepare for a Covid vaccination campaign,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO’s Africa director, adding that the organisation was ready to support the country.