Dar es Salaam. Good morning! The Chanzo is here with a rundown of major news stories reported in Tanzania on Monday, November 15, 2021.
Samia urges TPDF to prioritize war against terrorism
President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Monday said that the security situation in Tanzania’s southern regions of Mtwara and Lindi has stabilized thanks to efforts that Tanzania’s People Defense Force (TPDF) has taken to rid the regions of terrorist threats that they were frequently facing.
She was speaking in Dar es Salaam while officiating the Annual Commanders’ Meeting where she suggested that the commanders put terrorism in the list of the agenda items to be discussed during the meeting.
“In the period of past few days, the security situation at our borders, especially in the southern regions, was threatened by the presence of terrorist attacks coming from the [Mozambican region of] Cabo Delgado,” President Samia, who was in military attire, said.
Since 2017, armed militants — often carrying the Islamic State flag — have been on the offensive in the northern Mozambique province of Cabo Delgado. According to analysts, the human toll of this violence is grave, with more than 3,000 killed, nearly a million displaced and an acute hunger crisis.
Although the extremists are based in the province, they have on numerous occasions led terrorist attacks on Tanzanian villages, killing and injuring dozens of Tanzanians.
“The government sent its troops to the border [between Tanzania and Mozambique] to make sure that security situation there stabilizes, something that led economic and activities in the area to resume in the surrounding areas,” added the Head of State.
Emphasizing the importance of the military to prioritize war against extremism, President Samia said: “Terrorism is not just a matter to be handled by the security forces alone, but it needs the cooperation of various institutions including the media and non-governmental organizations that will be responsible in educating public about peace.”
Zanzibar to spend Sh69 billion of IMF money to build ten hospitals
Zanzibar Minister for Health, Social Welfare, Elderly, Gender and Children, Nassor Ahmed Mazrui said over the weekend that the semi-autonomous archipelago is planning to build ten modern district hospitals through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) emergency financial assistance.
Mr Mazrui was quoted as saying that the plan seeks to scale up health services in the isles.
Zanzibar obtained a total of Sh230 billion of the IMF money to Tanzania aimed at helping the East African nation revive the economy following the effects brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic
Mr Mazrui said that a total of Sh69 billion of this money has gone to the health ministry, adding that each of the proposed district hospitals will have 100 beds capacity, along with staff houses to accommodate 16 families.
“These hospitals will help to improve health service delivery and decongest patients at the Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital,” Mr Mazrui explained.
The hospitals will be built in Chumbuni, Magogoni, Kivunge, Pangatupu, Dunga and Makunduchi in Unguja and Micheweni and Kinyasini Wete in Pemba.
The government will also construct a five-storey regional hospital at Lumumba in Urban West Region with a capacity for 200 beds, with Mr Mazrui saying that the facility will feature an outpatient department, inpatient department and will be installed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Computerized Tomography (CT) scanners, to check the body for tumours).
The facility will offer specialized services such as ear, nose and throat (ENT) treatment, along with eye and dental clinics, while envisaged hospital facilities will be installed with incinerators.
“We will also build an intensive care unit (ICU), mortuary and digital X-ray, dialysis services, operation theatre room equipment and an oxygen plant to supply oxygen directly to the patient’s bed,” Mr Mazrui explained.
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