Magufuli is wrong on faulty coronavirus tests, says African Union

The head of the African Union (AU) body that is co-ordinating the continent’s coronavirus response has rejected the suggestion from Tanzania’s president that tests for the virus are faulty.

Last weekend, President John Magufuli, who has been criticised for his approach in dealing with the virus, said that he had secretly had some animals and fruits tested at the laboratory and that a paw-paw, a quail and a goat had returned positive samples.

But responding to a question about Mr. Magufuli’s comments, John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), told journalists that the tests that Tanzania and other African countries are using had “been validated and we know that they are performing very well”.

He went on to say that co-operation, co-ordination and collaboration were vital if the fight against Covid-19 was to be successful.

“No country in Africa is an island” when it comes to dealing with the virus, Dr. Nkengasong said.

What is needed is a coherent message right from the leadership of the continent down to the local level, he added.

In Tanzania, the government’s main priority appears to be keeping the economy going as President Magufuli refuses to countenance the closure of markets or the lucrative port in the commercial hub of Dar es Salaam.

Mr. Magufuli has insisted that people should still go to places of worship to find “true healing” – despite these being areas where social distancing is difficult to follow.