NEED to challenge new public health law

The National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED party) has vowed to challenge the newly signed Public Health Amendment Act, 2022.

The law that was signed by the president earlier this month, gives the government a right to punish parents who fail to vaccinate their children or anyone who fails to report an outbreak of “unusual” diseases and disclose the whereabouts of contacts.

Parents and guardians will be required to avail vaccination certificates as a precondition for their children to be admitted to daycare, pre-primary and primary school.

It also provides for at least 16 offences, including penalizing individuals spreading fake news about new emerging health issues.

Ugandans who contravene provisions of the newly-signed Public Health (Amendment) Act, 2022, face a raft of stiffer penalties, including jail terms of up to a year or a Shs5m fine or both.

Speaking to the media at the party’s head offices in Rubaga, NEED President, Joseph Kabuleta said it is not right to force parents to vaccinate their children.

He also challenged the arrest and imprisonment of people suspected to be circulating fake health news.

Written by Prossy Kisakye