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Vaccination certificates mandatory for entry, says Kigoda
2008-02-16 09:20:21
By Angel Navuri, Dodoma
The government has denied that it allows foreigners without valid medical certificates entry into the country.
The denial was made by Deputy Minister for Health and Social Welfare Aisha Kigoda when responding to a supplementary question by Zubeir Maulidi (Kwamtipura), who sought clarification on why foreigners entered the country without vaccination certificates whenTanzanians were forced to undergo vaccination whenever they flew to foreign countries.
Kigoda said all foreigners coming into the country underwent vaccination in their respective countries.
``Foreigners undergo all these procedures in their respective countries,``she said.
She said scrutiny to know whether foreigners had undergone medical tests and vaccination was done at the airport.
Kigoda explained that airports don't allow foreigners into the country without valid medical certificates.
``People undergo vaccination to prevent them from getting ill in the countries that they will be visiting,`` said Kigoda.
Responding to another question from Bumbuli legislator William Shellukindo on the development of an HIV/Aids vaccine research in the world, Kigoda said HIV/Aids vaccine piloting was under test at the Muhimbili Medical School in Dar es Salaam in collaboration with the Muhimbili National Hospital.
She said the first pilot test was conducted at Makuti clinic and Mbeya Research Centre on February 20, last year.
According to the deputy minister, at least 20 people volunteered to undergo the pilot vaccination which, she said, had had no negative side-effects.
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