Ugandan authorities have begun plans to jail citizens who refuse the COVID-19 vaccination.

Werikhe Kafabusa, Uganda’s state minister for trade, has proposed a new law that seeks the imposition of jail terms and fines on persons who defy protocols meant to curtail the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and its variants.

According to VOA, persons found guilty of concealing infectious diseases would pay $850 or spend a year in jail.

In the same vein, school managers admitting students without any proof of vaccination and parents who shield their children from getting vaccinated may be liable to pay a fine of $1,100 or spend six months in jail. In worst cases, the offender may be asked to do both.

Uganda’s ministry of health which welcomed the development noted that the stiff measures were necessary in driving up the country’s vaccination level which was for the overall well-being of the citizens.

However, health analyst, Allana Kembabazi, criticised the proposed bill, arguing that it would only encourage vaccination fraud among Ugandans.

She believed that many persons would rather forge a vaccination card than get vaccinated.

Speaking to VOA, she said “The way they have handled the roll out has been poor. You go to a health centre they tell you, they are out today,” adding that “You take your first Pfizer dose, you have to hunt for the second. If they could address the issue with the roll out and really put in place a targeted community outreach campaign, that would be, I think, more effective. Because, when you put all these punitive sanctions, some people will just try and go ahead and forge.”