Tanzanian doctors pin hopes on new president for COVID turnaround

All eyes on Samia Suluhu Hassan, successor of late President John Magufuli who long downplayed severity of COVID-19.

Throttled by late President John Magufuli’s coronavirus denialism, Tanzanian doctors have expressed hope the arrival of a new leader will bring positive change to the country’s questionable handling of the pandemic. Magufuli’s vice president and successor, Samia Suluhu Hassan, announced on March 17 that the 61-year-old had died from a pre-existing heart condition. But many suspect Magufuli, who had not been seen in public for weeks, passed away from COVID-19 complications. In June last year, Magufuli declared his country had beaten the virus through prayer. Authorities had already stopped registering cases and deaths since May – at the time, Tanzania had 509 cases and 21 deaths – and warned of strong measures against those who allegedly spread “false information”.