Tanzania has vaccinated over 100,000 as government warns against fake jab certificates
What you need to know:
- Prof Makubi said they are improving the system of providing Covid-19 vaccine certificates by completing the process of moving from using papers to digital system (Covid-19 Vaccine Electronic Certificates).
Dar es Salaam.Tanzania has vaccinated 105,745 people whereas 164,500 have been booked to get the jabs this week.
Tanzania joined the rest of the world in the inoculation exercise after the vaccination campaign was launched by the President Samia Suluhu Hassan on August 23, 2021 in Dar es Salaam.
Speaking on Sunday, August 8, 2021 Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Professor Abel Makubi while briefing the public on the development of distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine, he said since the vaccination started on August 3, this year the 105, 745 of the targeted groups have been vaccinated.
He said the statistics are from when the campaign started to yesterday August 7, 2021.
Prof Makubi said they are improving the system of providing Covid-19 vaccine certificates by completing the process of moving from using papers to digital system (Covid-19 Vaccine Electronic Certificates).
He said, the special electronic cards that are in the process will have international requirements for confirmation of vaccination where it will contain a confidential identity that will include the recipient's information, the vaccine he received, the time and place.
"I would like to assure the public that all registration and certification information for those who have been vaccinated is written in books but later the information will be transferred to the electronic system,” he said.
On other news, Prof. Makubi said the government has warned people who will try to get Covid-19 vaccination certificates through fraud that they will be identified by the system and strict legal action will be taken.
"The ministry is aware of the sequence of the numbers provided and which station has been issued so, in case one number is repeated the investigation will start with the healthcare workers who provided the numbers and those with certificates.
"Therefore, I call on healthcare workers who provides vaccines and recipients to fulfill their responsibilities and refrain from any fraud," he said.
He said the certificates would be issued to all vaccinated people, even those who have now been issued with a hard copy certificate will also be reached for a new certificate which will be read electronically.
“I instruct that, there should be no reason for the the targeted groups to miss or be denied to get vaccines ; If it is a matter of IDs, then local governments should help identify these people, especially the elderly, ”he said.
The government plans to vaccinate 60 percent of all Tanzanians after it received over 1 million doses of the Janssen coronavirus vaccine from the United States donated through the Covax initiative, which is co-led by Gavi, the World Health Organization (WHO) and CEPI.
