SEVERAL religious leaders turned up for Covid-19 vaccinations on Monday at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar and called on Tanzanians to go for immunization at the designated health facilities.
A Roman Catholic Priest Fr Anselmo Mwang’amba from Kitope Parish and the Zanzibar Mufti Sheikh Omar Saleh Kaabi led other clerics to take the jab.
“We support efforts taken by both Union and Zanzibar governments to advocate for Covid-19 vaccines …as religious leaders we want to make a difference in the fight against the pandemic,” said Fr Mwang’amba.
He stated that religious leaders rally behind the decision taken by President Samia Suluhu Hassan and her Zanzibar counterpart Dr Ali Mwinyi to allow voluntary vaccination as one of the preventive measures against the deadly global pandemic.
“Tanzanians should go for vaccination since our experts have assured us of their safety and efficacy in battling coronavirus,” he said.
Deputy Chief Kadhi Sheikh Hassan Othman Ngwali and Mufti’s Office Secretary Sheikh Khalid Ali Mfaume, after getting jabs, appealed to their followers and other Tanzanians to get vaccinated as they also continue to observe other preventive measures.
Dr Abdalla Suleiman Ali – Director General, Ministry of Health, Social Welfare, Elders, Gender and Children commended the clerics for taking the jabs noting that the group has an important role to play in encouraging their followers to go for vaccination.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health indicate that between June 25 and August 25, more than 10,860 people were vaccinated. A total of 15 deaths were recorded out of 390 reported positive cases.