Advocates for Christ Ghana, a civil society group made of Christian professionals, has urged the government not to make vaccination of the coronavirus disease compulsory.
The group is of the view that any attempt to force vaccines “down the throat” of the citizenry would be an abuse of their fundamental human rights.
The government has in recent weeks indicated that vaccination would be mandatory in order to access public services.
The Ghana Health Service for instance has made vaccination compulsory for unvaccinated persons who will arrive in the country effective December 29, 2021,plans to vaccinate all children aged 15 years and above and all workers in schools before the next academic year.
While all workers in the government institutions would be expected to show vaccine certificates before allowed to work from next year, commercial drivers would also be required to show proof of vaccination to be allowed to operate next year.
The above indications, Advocates for Christ say suggests an intention to compulsorily or forcefully apply vaccines or medications to citizens who might have made an intentional and informed choices based on health information available to them, not to vaccinate.
“We should not force, compel or insist on mandatory vaccinations for citizens. This infringes on citizens’ right to make personal informed medical choices as they deem fit and could adversely impact citizens in the long run,” a leading member of the group, EdemSenanu, told a press conference in Accra on Tuesday.
According to MrSenanu, evidence suggested that in countries like Israel and Ireland where over 90 per cent of its citizens were vaccinated, the much anticipated herd immunity and protection had not been achieved with immunity against new variants low as boosters were being considered.
“So it seems strange that we want to mandate vaccinations when there is no clear direction as to how this pandemic will end in nations that have acted as fore-runners,” MrSenanu said.
He said, for example, the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported on November 3 that incidence of anaphylaxis, thrombosis, myocarditis and pericarditis were detected in 1,949 persons and 10,128 deaths as a result of vaccine use.
Ghana, he said, had recorded only 1.46 per cent casualty of the 129,495 cases suggesting that citizens have immunity to the disease; hence focusing on how to build the immunity of people with underlying medical conditions should be the focus of the government, rather than making vaccination compulsory.
“There are currently over 130 research papers from reputable scientists across the world suggesting that natural immunity is more sustained and ultimately more effective compared with vaccine induced immunity, except in the case of some already vulnerable populations with underlying conditions.
“It is in this context that we, therefore, call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to support the rights of citizens by curtailing the drive to implement mandatory vaccinations. Vaccinations can continue but should not be compulsory.”
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
