The President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan has revoked the appointment of the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Tumaini Nagu.
Also read: Prof Tumaini Nagu: Tanzania’s Chief Medical Officer
The president’s decision comes at a time when there is growing scrutiny over the handling of a suspected Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak in the Kagera region OF Tanzania. However, the President’s announcement has not linked the outbreak controversy with the latest changes at the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Elizabeth Benedict Sanga, the Shadow Minister of Health for the ACT Wazalendo opposition party, has been a vocal critic, demanding greater transparency from the Ministry regarding the suspected Marburg outbreak.
The abrupt shakeup at the Ministry comes on the heels of the Ministry of Health’s announcement that all suspected cases tested negative for the deadly virus, a claim that may have done little to quell mounting anxieties over the possible outbreak in the Biharamulo District of Kagera region.
The WHO issued an alert on January 13th, 2025, regarding the suspected outbreak, which has reportedly claimed eight lives.
Concerns were initially raised by a situation report that was widely shared on social media but later dismissed by the Ministry as “fake,” which described an unusual illness affecting multiple individuals, including a pregnant woman who tragically miscarried and subsequently died.
The report detailed a concerning pattern of deaths within her family and among those who had come into contact with them, including a healthcare worker.
Health Minister Jenista Mhagama maintained that the Ministry had swiftly responded to the WHO alert, deploying expert teams to the affected area, conducting thorough investigations, and collecting samples for laboratory testing.
“Following this information, the Ministry has immediately taken several measures including: deployment of a team of experts to the area; event investigation; collection of specimens and laboratory testing,” Minister Mhagama stated in a press release that said “all cases had tested negative for Marburg Virus.”
However, Frank Minja, associate Professor at Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences Emory University School of Medicine in United States, raised a critical question over the Minister’s press release.
“The remedy to rumours is a complete and self-sufficient piece of information that doesn’t raise further questions. For example, how many samples were tested? What did the tested samples show?”
Frank Minja, associate Professor at Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences Emory University School of Medicine
Also read: Suspected Marburg Virus Cases Have Tested Negative, says Tanzania
The dismissal of Professor Nagu, along with the transfer of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. John Jingu, to the Ministry of Community Development, has fueled speculation about the true extent of the outbreak and the government’s response.
The Kagera region, bordering several neighboring countries, has a history of MVD outbreaks. A previous outbreak in March 2023 resulted in nine confirmed cases and six fatalities, highlighting the region’s vulnerability to such outbreaks.
Also read: 8 Dead in Suspected Marburg Virus Outbreak in Kagera-Tanzania
The WHO, deeply concerned about the potential for regional and international spread due to the high human mobility in the region, has warned of further cases as surveillance efforts intensify.
“We are aware of 9 cases so far, including 8 people who have died. We would expect further cases in coming days as disease surveillance improves,” stated WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
MVD is a highly contagious and often fatal hemorrhagic fever characterized by high fever, headache, muscle aches, and severe bleeding. Transmission occurs primarily through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces.
Available reports show that the Tanzanian government has mobilized rapid response teams to investigate the situation, intensify surveillance efforts, and conduct thorough contact tracing.
