There has been an increase in admissions to hospitals, which unfortunately often cannot cope with the emergency, and there are reports of many funeral processions lining the streets.

This morning we learn with sorrow of the death of Dr Joshua Sabai, a doctor at the Dream centre in Iringa, who had contracted the virus a few days before.
Dr Sabai had worked with Dream for many years, first in Arusha and then moved to Iringa to share his experience and to train two other young doctors who worked there. He was born 55 years ago in the Arumeru district in the Arusha region, but after completing his medical studies he moved to London to specialise. He had a wealth of experience and in recent years had devoted himself particularly to the study and treatment of HIV-positive patients who also suffered from tuberculosis.

As a medical staff, he had been waiting for the vaccination that had finally been made available in the country a few days ago, following the donation of one million doses of the Janssen vaccine, received from the United States.

His death comes on top of the loss of two other Dream doctors, Dr Margreth and Dr Urasa, in recent months in the centres of Arusha and Iringa, also due to Covid.
These deaths represent a great loss for the patients and for those who have worked with them in recent years on the DREAM programme.

The Community of Sant’Egidio, in communicating this news, reaffirms its commitment alongside Tanzania in the prevention and treatment of Covid, in countering the spread of fake news about the pandemic and hopes that the vaccination campaign will soon be extended throughout the country and Africa as a whole.