A human rights advocate has called on the government to consider citizens’ consent over vaccines and stop making COVID-19 vaccination a compulsory.
The Center for Peace and Advocacy (CPA) says he is deeply concerned over the statement made by the Chairman of the National Taskforce on Coronavirus.
On Friday last week, the Vice President of Services Cluster, Hussein Abdelbagi Akol, ordered the government workers to get vaccinated or be suspended from work.
The task force also directed higher learning institutions to stop unvaccinated students and staff from accessing campus unless they produced negative test results within 72 hours.
Ter Manyang Gatwech is the Executive Director of CPA, he described the move as a “clear violation of human rights” in the country.
He said the trust in the vaccines is vital and is critically depending on the government ability to communicate the benefits of vaccination and deliver the vaccines safely and effectively.
“The Chairman should come up with a covid-19 strategy for citizens to trust you in your offices before telling them to take vaccine without considering the risks and implications”, Manyang said.
He emphasizes more awareness needed to be done to ensure citizens build confidence in vaccines.
“The role of governments in promoting confidence in the effectiveness and safety through effective communication, as well as trust in their ability to procure and distribute them efficiently and equitably,” he said.
In Many countries minority of the population holds strong anti-vaccination views, and they’re still hesitancy about COVID‑19 vaccination.
CPA urges the Chairman of the National Taskforce on Coronavirus to respect the rights of the citizens in the country.
On Tuesday the US embassy in South Sudan announce the arrival of 336,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in Juba through COVAX, a global equitable vaccine access initiative.
This is the third batch brings the number of doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine provided to South Sudan to 656,950 after the first and second batches arrived on September 14 and December respectively.
South Sudan receives its first consignment of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility in March this year.
The country is using AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
This afternoon, the National Task Force on COVID-19 has again imposed partial lockdown effected on 21 December 2021 until 10 January 22.
Government has warned the public to stop receiving dead bodies in numbers allowing two immediate family members to attend the burials.
Worships centers, social gathering, bars and tea places are directed to enforced health guideline to curb spread of coronavirus.
South Sudan has recorded higher cases of COVID-19 in recent weeks, worrying the country’s health sector. Public Health Laboratory registers 216 new cases on Monday alone.