Ugandan government considers arresting parents who refuse to have children vaccinated against polio

From UGpulse.com:

The government is considering arresting parents who refuse to take their children for immunization during the second round of immunization, which began countrywide on Saturday June 6th and to end on Monday June 8th.

The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health, Paul Kaggwa says the government might be forced to use the law to rein in parents who have not immunized their children during the immunization days.

Kaggwa says parents who fail to take their children for immunization could be arrested under the Public Health Act, the Penal Code Act and the Children's Statute which provide that refusing to immunize a baby infringes its right to health and at the same time exposes other children to infections.

After more than 10 years of being polio free, Uganda is battling with a wild polio virus expected to have entered the country from neighbouring Southern Sudan or Democratic Republic of Congo. So far, 10 children have been crippled-seven in Amuru District, one in Pader, one in Moyo, and another in Bundibugyo districts.

To stem the threat, the health ministry has started a second nationwide immunization exercise targeting 6.2 million children. Kaggwa says the exercise integrates vaccination against measles, which has also shown signs of spreading in the country.

He appealed to parents to take their children of 5 years and below to protect them from polio and measles. All children whether they were immunized before of not should be taken to the nearest designated point to receive doses to protect them against polio and measles.

According to the World Health Organisation, the polio virus invades nerve cells in the brain or spinal cord, paralysing muscles. When muscles that control swallowing and breathing are affected, the child's limbs, legs and trunk are rendered flaccid (lifeless).

Dr. Immaculate Kemigisha, a paediatric nurse says the polio virus enters the body through the mouth when a person takes food, water or a drink that has been contaminated with the virus from excreta of people who are infected with polio.