The call for action on the monitoring of the COVID-19 prevention and control measures and the routine release of data in Tanzania

Abstract

World Health Organization (WHO) mandates all its country members to effectively monitor the entire nationally implemented Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related preventive and control (clinical management) measures and edict timely release of data to the entire global community. United Republic of Tanzania, which is a country member of WHO, has recently precluded to monitor and officially release the necessary epidemiological data both to its own citizens and internationally via press release. The abrupt impediment of monitoring and release of data is assumed to be driven by the intention to deliberately minimize the panic in the community. This letter underscores the importance of monitoring and timely release of national COVID-19 data and also provides key recommendations to address ineffective national COVID-19 surveillance systems of Tanzania.