Stakeholders have called for protection of children against mandatory vaccination saying parents need to have the preserve to accept or decline vaccination of their children.
The Public Health (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in section 47 (1) (b) states that a local government council shall require any person in the local government to be vaccinated or revaccinated and shall require the parent or guardian of any child, to have the child vaccinated or revaccinated.
This week, officials from Family Life Network, told MPs on the Health Committee scrutinizing the Bill, that the section presented inconsistencies with the Children Amendment Act, 2016.
Betty Byanyima, a member of Family Life Network said the provision limited the rights of children and said that parents should be accorded the right to informed choice in regards to medical interventions on behalf of their children.
Dr Bayigga Lulume (DP, Buikwe County) said there is need to recommend how best to enforce compliance in circumstances where the country wants to prevent its citizens from getting sick.
Nicholas Kamara (FDC, Kabale Municipality) said mass vaccination is key for public health saying the picture of hospital wards filled with children with measles is no longer the case due to vaccination against the disease. End.
