Manifold Tactics are used to Control and Prevent Pandemics in Contemporary Africa”: A Case of Tanzania’s Fight against COVID-19
Switbert R. Kamazima, Deodatus Kakoko, Method Kazaura
Abstract
Since WHO declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic, some unprecedented measures have been adopted globally to control its transmission.Different countries, Tanzania in particularly, are using innovative ways to mitigate COVID-19 impact.The aim of this paper is, therefore, to provide an overview of strategies used to curb coronavirus spread and reducing COVID-19 impact in Tanzania.Information was collected by reviewing different documents including published papers, grey literature, newspapers, media information, formal and informal reports and discussions.Findings show that Tanzania adopted various measures including WHO recommended standard preventive behaviours and practices; spiritual healing; traditional therapies (use of traditional herbs: chewing, drinking as well as steaming).Tanzania has widely been recognized to have strongly achieved fighting COVID-19 where the use of biomedical, experience from successful battles against a number of pandemic infectious diseases, spiritual healing and medicinal herbs individually or in a combination of some sort, which is regarded to have, so far, prevented Tanzania from COVID-19 severity.We conclude, the use and importance of medicinal herbs has long roots among African societies.Traditional medicine or African therapy, therefore, is used alongside or above the modern disease management practices in most of African countries and the developing world.We recommend ongoing medicinal herbs laboratory tests in Africa and beyond should be encouraged and strengthened for the development of trustworthy, affordable, effective and safe therapies for Africa and the world.