Tanzania has sought to avoid such vulnerabilities by ignoring the virus. In Rwanda, 74 per cent of women are in informal businesses, most without savings or social protection making them economically and socially vulnerable. Countries will seek to find a balance between reducing transmission while preventing or reducing social and economic disruption.Įconomies with a large informal sector are likely to be hit hardest. Lockdown measures will have unintended and undesirable economic consequences. The extent to which lockdown measures are imposed and adhered to is another. It is too early to determine the reasons for this regional variation, but it is likely that the level of international travel into the regions is one factor. Southern Africa in contrast has been hardest hit. Only central Africa has fewer cases to date. The east African region has the second lowest number of reported cases of coronavirus in Africa. It is to be expected that different countries will respond differently to public health crises. This compares to over 26,000 tests conducted in Kenya and nearly 45,000 in Uganda. It is reported that Tanzania has conducted just 652 tests (as of 7 May). There are 21 reported deaths from the disease. How effective has the response been?Īt 25 June, Tanzania had 509 reported cases of Covid-19 with a population of approximately 60 million people. Meanwhile, Uganda and Rwanda have both introduced extra precautionary measures for those transporting goods from Tanzania. On 16 May, Kenya shut its borders with Tanzania, after many of its new recorded cases were of truck drivers from across the border. But the government has also emphasised the importance of working hard and keeping the economy going. There has been a very limited lockdown in Tanzania. This might be because there is so little testing.
Reported cases of coronavirus in Tanzania are low. There are videos on social media of unusual night-time burials. Health workers have claimed that despite the low figures, hundreds of people have in fact caught the virus. There are concerns that the Government is not prov i ding regular updates on infection rates. President Magufuli has maintained a tight control on information. On 29 April he declared the country corona-free thanks to the grace of God. He is accused of making statements which “appear to be informed more by his own personal worldview than any input from scientists” This includes reliance on religious faith – that God can save Tanzanians from coronavirus. The populist President Magufuli has sought to deny the presence and the effects of the disease. In contrast to Rwanda, Tanzania has adopted a much less rigorous approach to testing and lock downs. The number of tests that were conducted increased from a handful in mid-March to 3,495 per day in mid-May. There have been two reported deaths from the virus. How effective has the response been?Īt 25 June, Rwanda had 830 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with a population of approximately 12.5 million people. The Rwandan healthcare system is now using them to send public health messages to towns and rural communities and to provide images to help enforce the lockdown.Īt the end of May, Rwanda reversed its planned easing of coronavirus restrictions after recording the first death from the virus and a rise in new cases. It has been using drones to deliver medicines for some time.
It provides near-universal coverage and excellent community health care. Rwanda has one of the continen t ’s most innovative and coveted health care systems.
In addition it is reported that the withholding of information related to contact tracing or Covid-19 symptoms “will be punished in accordance with applicable laws”. The security forces are reported to have arrested people for violating social-distancing measures. The lockdown has been stringently enforced. Two days later it closed land borders with its neighbours except for goods and cargo and imposed a nationwide lockdown. On 19 March it shut down all air traffic. Rwanda was one of the first countries in Africa to impose a lockdown. It’s purpose was the prevention and control of the virus. The plan was developed before the first case of coronavirus in the country had even been reported. In March the Government produced a National Preparedness and Response Plan. In a continent where many countries have weak public health systems, Rwanda has proactively developed an early response to the coronavirus. This Insight looks at how effective these responses have been in tackling the virus and at the wider political and economic impacts. Rwanda and Tanzania have adopted two very distinct policy responses to the coronavirus pandemic.
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