Kenya and Tanzania have finally streamlined cross border health protocols to jointly check the spread of the Covid 19 pandemic between the two East African nations.
The Tanzanian delegation led by the Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children of Tanzania, Dorothy Gwajima has visited Kenya to partner with the Kenyan Ministry of Health (MoH) officials to come up with solutions on how to tackle various health issues affecting the two countries, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking at the event, Cabinet Secretary (CS) Health Mutahi Kagwe, said that the collaboration would provide an opportunity for the two countries to improve the health and the well-being of their citizens.
“With a healthy nation everything is possible but with a sick country there is nothing that can be more fruitful whether in development, politics or even social life. This visit has been against the backdrop of the debilitating Covid-19 pandemic that has affected the world and our two countries,” said Kagwe.
He added that the ministries for both countries have resolved several issues pertaining to the Covid-19 fight such as cross-border issues that involve citizens of both countries including transport, Covid-19 testing and validation systems for those leaving and entering both countries.
“Our guests will be visiting some of our other facilities to explore the possibility of collaboration in other health aspects,” revealed Kagwe.
While giving her remarks, Gwajima insisted that it was important to find ways in which the pandemic would not affect the people in order for life to continue and economy to thrive by agreeing on actions that would harbor peace within the two countries.
“For future purposes this is not the beginning or end of diseases and we need to learn from this pandemic and correct where we went wrong. We will follow our presidents’ directives and through this collaboration we have become a family and our spirits have been united for future. We can solve all our problems; we have enough solutions, experiences that we can exchange and make East Arica a friendly region,” said Gwajima
Kagwe urged Kenyans to keep following the safety measures put in place by the MoH and Government of Kenya (GoK).
By Mercy Nkatha and Christine Ontita
