The Government of Tanzania will spend at least $470 million to purchase COVID-19 vaccine and bailout sectors that were severely hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
This was stated on Monday, June 28, 2021, by President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Dar es Salaam when she met Editors and Journalists at the State House in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
In addition, the President said Tanzania has registered for COVAX facility package and it will administer COVID-19 Vaccine in the near future.
“We have $470 million to order vaccine and equipment to use in the fight against Coronavirus,” she said.
She added that the vaccine will be voluntary to give citizens the opportunity to choose what is best for them; she did not however give the specific dates.
The president did not name the exact vaccine the country was set to procure given the fact that many countries have developed jabs for the killer virus which has brought global economies to its knees.
Recently the government that it had officially applied for a $571 million (about Sh1.3 trillion) loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help in mitigate economic challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tabling the government’s Sh36.3 trillion 2021/22 budget in Parliament on June 10, 2021, Dr Nchemba told the House that the requested funds were a low-interest loan aimed at tackling the social and economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
IMF officials in Dar es Salaam and Washington were also quoted by Reuters as confirming about the existence of talks with the government – noting, however, that Tanzania would have to provide information on Covid-19.
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