"Stop illegal vaccine mandate rollout"

The Coalition for Public Health and Justice is asking the government to end its mandatory rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

The group questions the safety, legality and efficacy of the vaccines as well as the health issues associated with being vaccinated.

Addressing the media at a press conference themed "Illegal COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates rollout in Ghana" Wednesday, the group also raised concerns on the necessity of compulsory vaccination in the country.

The coalition which consists of medical doctors, scientists and lawyers alleges that since there is an absence of an Executive Instrument (EI) to support the legality of the exercise, the rollout is illegal.

"For a vaccine mandate to be legal in Ghana, it ought to be supported by an Executive instrument, that the Minister of Health should have executed following the appropriate legal processes. Surprisingly, although there is no such El in place currently, we have various public and private sector entities, insisting on compulsory vaccinations using Emergency Use Approved vaccines which is illegal".

The group argues that "vaccinations can continue but should not be compulsory in the context of global scientific evidence that is available and in the absence of an EI and in any case, there is currently no basis for an EI".

Emergency Use Authorization

 One of the lawyers of the Coalition, Mr Richard Nunekpenu explained how the EUA functions according to the Ghana' guidelines for EAU.

 "EUA will be issued among others, in a situation where there is no adequate approved, and available alternative to the product for diagnosing, preventing or treating such serious life-threatening disease or condition", he said.

Disorders

The Coalition said that the vaccines had adverse effects of various kinds.

“It is a fact that in just over 12 months of deployment of the Covid-19 vaccines, there have been over 1,000 scientific studies reporting on adverse effects such as paralysis, menstrual abnormalities, blood clot, pericarditis, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy, vaccine-induced thrombotic cytopenia and autoimmunity resulting in death, cerebral haemorrhage, thrombo-embolism and unexplained deaths following vaccinations", Dr Timothy Armah of the Coalition stated.

Against rights

Lawyers of the group suggest that the no vaccination, no entry in public institutions must be put to an end since the move infringes on the rights of Ghanaians.

“No one should be compelled either by a directive or by a policy mandate to take the vaccine, given the generality of the law that exists, and we have said the institutions and persons that are mandating this compulsory vaccinations do not have any power”, Mr Nunekpenu stated.

They also raised concerns about the vaccination of students without authorisation of their parents or guardians.

Claims and recommendations

Speaking at the event, a scientist, Mr Edem Senanu stated that the government must reconsider its mandate decision because "no country has achieved herd immunity, despite all the assurances that this would be achieved if at least 80% of the population was vaccinated the theory has not materialised anywhere in the world to date".

They also advised that other drugs other than WHO approved drugs may be used since the vaccines are not the last resort. 

They explained that by the FDA guidelines, persons who are supposed to take the vaccines must be given enough information in order for them to make personal decisions but that isn't the case with the mandatory vaccination policy.

The coalition indicated it would file a suit in court if the compulsory mandate rollout of vaccines is not stopped.