Health shake-up: Two weeks of heads rolling
Dar es Salaam. Heads have been rolling at the Health ministry for almost two weeks now as President John Magufuli’s administration seeks to bring new blood and boost its chances of winning the battle against Covid-19. Yesterday’s decision by Health minister Ummy Mwalimu to suspend the national community health laboratory director Dr Nyambura Moremi and the quality assurance manager Jacob Lusekelo was one of the many steps that the government was taking in an effort to win the battle against Covid-19.
The number of Covid-19 cases in Tanzania jumped to 480 on Thursday last week after 196 people tested positive of the novel coronavirus.
Sixteen patients have since died from the viral disease, while 167 have recovered from the malady.
The pandemic has seen President Magufuli scratching his head in seeking ways to win the battle against the pandemic. To that end, he made some changes at the Health ministry on April 22. That was when he appointed his assistant as the country’s new chief executive officer for the crucial ministry.
Prof Mabula Daudi Mchembe became the new permanent secretary in the ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, the Elderly and Children.
Before becoming the President’s advisor on healthcare issues, Prof Mchembe taught in the Department of Surgery at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (Muhas).
Dr Zainab Abdi Seraphin Chaula, who held the permanent secretary position at the Health ministry, was moved to the ministry of Works, Transport and Communications.
President Magufuli also appointed Prof Abel Makubi the new chief medical officer (CMO), replacing Prof Mohamed Bakari Kambi who retired from public service.
From what President Magufuli said during the function to swear-in Dr Mwigulu Nchemba as the country’s new Constitutional and Legal Affairs minister at his (the President’s) Chato hometown on Sunday, one would sense that more heads would roll at the Health ministry itself, and/or at the ministry’s institutions.
President Magufuli exuded his reservations at the accuracy or correctness of Covid-19 test results by the National Community Health Laboratory, and called on the relevant authorities to look into possible “sabotage” at the laboratory.
The newly-appointed Health permanent secretary, Prof Mchembe, said President Magufuli had secretly taken speciments of some animals, fruits and vehicle lubricant for testing at the laboratory.
According to Magufuli, a papaya, a quail and a goat tested Covid-19-positive, which made him suspect a “dirty game” being played at the laboratory.
This means there is a possibility for technical errors in the testing, or the imported reagents used in testing are problematic, the Head of State said - adding that some of the lab technicians may also also have been bought to mislead the world.
In consequense whereof the President took just hours to fire the director general of the Medical Stores Department (MSD), Laurean Bwanakunu.
The Department - which maintains and manages procurement, storage and distribution systems for approved medical supplies used by public healthcare institutions - will now be under management of Brigadier General Gabriel Mhidize.
So when Ms Mwalimu suspended Dr Moremi and Mr Lusekelo yesterday, it was simply a continuation of a series of events to bring new vigor to the manning of issues pertaining to the fight against Covid-19.
In line with President Magufuli’s directives, Ms Mwalimu also named a 10-man special committee, headed 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 within 10 days.
