This archive report was first published on 5 May 2020.
Published on May 5, 2020, Tanzania's Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu has taken swift action to address concerns raised by President John Magufuli about the reliability of Covid-19 test kits used in the country.
On Sunday, President Magufuli expressed doubts over the accuracy of test results, citing instances where non-human samples, including those from a goat, a pawpaw, oil, and a jackfruit, tested positive for Covid-19.
The President, who holds a doctorate in chemistry, formed a special committee of nine experts to investigate the matter and castigated the National Health Laboratory for possible sabotage.
As a result, Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu has suspended National Health Laboratory director Nyambura Moremi and head of quality assurance Jacob Lusekelo with immediate effect.
