Advocates for Christ advocating disobedience?
A spokesman for a group calling itself Advocates for Christ was in an interview on a local FM station threatening court action against the government, if it goes ahead to make anti-COVID-19 vaccination mandatory in the country, on the grounds that it would violate the fundamental human rights of Ghanaians.
One of the cardinal principles of the 1948 United Nations (UN) Charter on Human Rights is the right to life, and governments worldwide are obligated to protect the lives of their citizens, especially in the face of natural or man-made disasters, diseases, etc., which endanger lives.
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Ghana, like many other countries, has incorporated this right to life clause in its constitution and has implemented policies and programmes to practicalise it.
An example is the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, which, among other things, is aimed at ensuring safe births among pregnant women, and the survival of children.
Ante-natal and post-natal procedures have been instituted to prevent or minimise maternal and childhood mortality, and this is largely achieved through vaccination.
This is the right to life in action.
Is the group saying that the vaccination of infants against the six childhood killer diseases is a violation of the fundamental human rights of the children and that this should be discontinued?
In any case, have the fathers or mothers in the group vaccinated their children against polio, whooping cough, tuberculosis, measles, tetanus, etc? And did those who have travelled outside the country or who intend to do so skip taking the yellow fever or the anti-COVID-19 jab?
Have they taken the anti-COVID-19 jab or not? And do they feel safe without it?
For the records, in 1970 a widespread outbreak of cholera in the country was brought under control with a countrywide vaccination and mass education exercises which covered both children and adults and made it mandatory for travellers into and out of the country to show proof of anti-cholera vaccination in their yellow card health certificates.
In these abnormal times, it is better to protect oneself in order to protect others through vaccination, the purpose for which the mandatory vaccination is relevant, of course in tandem with the anti-COVID-19 protocol.
Surely, the stance of the Advocates for Christ smacks of rebellion not only against the wise counsel of the Ministry of Health, but also against the collateral national interests.
In fact, it is unchristian, because Christ never advocated disobedience and his true followers should not be seen or heard to be cast in the mould of rebels.
Joseph Amuah, Retired educationist, E-mail: [email protected]