Mandatory jabs for children are a rights abuse, activists tell govt

Health activists have asked government to omit the mandatory vaccination for children clause from the Public Health Amendment Bill.

The Bill was tabled before Parliament by the Health minister, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, on February 3.
It includes the non-consent of parents when vaccinating their children. This means that all children aged between five and 11, will be vaccinated without the consent of their parents/guardians, a move the health activists are against.

ALSO READ: Why vaccines should not be mandatory

During a virtual meeting at Town Hall in Kampala yesterday, Rev Canon Evatt Mugarura, a public health Consultant, said: “The informed consent is provided for in the Constitution. This is Article 34 where parents or guardians are supposed to ensure that the rights of the children under their care are respected. So removing the consent when standing in for a child in planned and emergency cases is a form of violation of human rights. As much as we are in a pandemic, forcing vaccination on people might not yield good results.” 

ALSO READ: Vaccinated Ugandans not required to wear face masks outdoor– Aceng

Mr Simon Senyonga, a lawyer, said the proposed law takes away the parent’s right to choose whether to vaccinate their child or not.

No liability

“…..yet and more dangerous to the parent and children is that this Bill exonerates the government of any liability should your child suffer adverse side effects of this vaccine,” Mr Senyonga said.

He added: “So schools are being pushed into a social contract with the government to ensure that they comply and yet should your child suffer side effects, you can’t sue government, school and manufacturer of the vaccine because of the nature of contacts the government signed.”

Ms Jacque Barlow, a parent, said government is overlooking parent’s ability to ensure the well-being of their children

However, Dr Aceng during a press briefing last week, said they will be procuring the Pfizer paediatric dose which is safe for use in children.

Dr Eva Mugisha, a pharmacist and the director of Faith for Medics Association, wondered why the new variants which are coming up are also affecting vaccinated people and yet the vaccines should be able to modify or mutate just like the virus.

“There exists a diversity in the nature of vaccines that we are seeing right now. The mRNA are very different from the traditional vaccines,” she said.

She added: “What we know are the vaccines that have been used to vaccinate our children against the killer diseases basically add a dead or weakened microorganism or a piece of disease causing microorganism being introduced into the body to cause your body to bring up an immune response so your body can create antibodies specific to fight that organism that if you encounter it later, your body can put up an immune response.”