Covid-19: Tanzania suspends National Laboratory boss
Tanzania's Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GGROUP
What you need to know:
- The suspension comes a day after the president directed the laboratory to be investigated over Covid-19 results.
- The minister has also named a 10-person special committee to investigate the collection of Covid-19 samples at the lab.
- The committee is made up of six university dons and three laboratory experts.
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 on May 3 when he cast doubts over the country's Covid-19 tally that has so far seen 480 people test positive.
“The findings so far show that something is wrong somewhere,” said the President.
The minister has also named a 10-person special committee led by Prof Eligius Lyamuya to investigate the collection of Covid-19 samples at the lab.
The committee, which is made up of six university dons and three laboratory experts, is supposed to present its findings with 10 days.
The committee’s members are Prof Said Aboud, Prof Gabriel Shirima, Prof Steven Mshana, Prof Rudovick Kazwala, Dr Thomas Marandu, Dr Mabula Kasubi, Dr Danstan Hipolite, Ms Viola Msangi and Mr Jaffer Sufi.
In her statement, the minister said that despite investigations, testing of Covid-19 samples will continue at the laboratory.
