DAR ES SALAAM— Tanzania’s health minister Ummy Mwalimu has suspended the national community health laboratory director Dr Nyambura Moremi and the quality assurance manager Jacob Lusekelo with immediate effect.
This follows President John Magufuli’s speech Sunday May 3, where he casted doubts over the COVID-19 results that has so far seen 480 people test positive in Tanzania.
“The findings so far show that something is wrong somewhere,” said Magufuli saidm
As part of the measures the minister has also named a 10-man special committee head by Prof Eligius Lyamuya to investigate the collection of COVID-19 samples at the laboratory.
The committee which is made up of Six university dons and three laboratory experts is supposed to present its findings with 10 days.
In her statement the minister said that despite the investigations testing of COVID-19 samples will continue at the laboratory.
President Magufuli on Sunday also castigated foreign media that pick on Tanzania instead of focusing on the infections in their countries where COVID-19 has killed tens of thousands of people.
He also said he was considering the restart of Tanzania Premier League after a six-week break, occasioned by the coronavirus outbreak.
Mr. Magufuli said he was only awaiting advice from his advisors on the way forward.
“I propose that we must restart our league matches but people must watch it on Television. I am only waiting for experts to advise me accordingly so that the league can proceed,” he was quoted by The Citizen.
Tanzania registered its first Covid-19 cases on March 16.
Since then, the number of confirmed cases has risen to 480. Out of the number, 167 have healed and allowed to rejoin their relatives back home while 16 have died
