Coalition for Public Health and Justice sue government over vaccine mandate

The Coalition for Public Health and Justice has sued the government over the mandatory Covid-19 vaccination and restrictions on movement in the country.

According to the Coalition, there is no Executive Instrument by the President to endorse mandatory vaccination, thus the vaccine mandate is unlawful.

“Checks at the Assembly Press as at the time of this suit showed that the President of the Republic of Ghana has not issued any Executive Instrument imposing Covid-19 vaccination restrictions on the right to freedom of movement. Neither did the impugned directives of the respondents make any reference whatsoever to any such Executive Instrument,” portions of the suit said.

The suit added that the mandatory vaccination also breaches some sections of the Public Health Act.

“The impugned directives of the respondents which mandate the said COVID-19 vaccines for all persons including those who have fully recovered from Covid-19 infections and have developed natural immunity to the disease, contravene Section 21(2) and 25 (1) (b) of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) and is unreasonable.”

In a letter to the presidency, the Coalition had earlier demanded that government suspend the vaccine mandate across public and private institutions in the country.

The writ noted that the Jubilee House and other public institutions and agencies have denied unvaccinated persons access to their premises and facilities.

The Coalition is therefore praying the court to declare the vaccine mandate as a breach of Article 21 (1) (g) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

The Coalition in the suit named as respondents the Attorney General, Ghana Health Service, the Speaker of Parliament, Electricity Company of Ghana, Passport Office and the Ghana Immigration Service.

The rest are Takoradi Technical University, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ministry of Health, Accra Metropolitan Assembly, University of Cape Coast, National Sports Authority, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, University of Ghana Medical School and the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Medical Association has also urged the Ministry of Health to withdraw its compulsory vaccination.

The Association in a statement said the vaccine mandate decision by the government will stress and deplete the health workforce.