The proposed Control of Infectious Diseases Bill 2020 is a violation of Article 6 of the 2005 UNESCO Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights, The PUNCH can report.
At its 32nd session in October 2003, the General Conference considered that it was “opportune and desirable to set universal standards in the field of bioethics with due regard for human dignity and human rights and freedoms, in the spirit of cultural pluralism inherent in bioethics.”
Subsequently, the Declaration was adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference on October 19, 2005, and it supports the doctrine of informed consent, being an element of global medical ethics and bioethics.
It stipulates that any preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic medical intervention is only to be conducted with free and informed consent of the person concerned, based on adequate information.
Part IV of the bill, also known as NCDC Bill (Article 46 – 49) and titled ‘Vaccination and Other Prophylaxis,’ seeks to compel Nigerians to embrace vaccination and other prophylaxis, in contradiction of Article 6 of the UNESCO Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights.
Article 46 of the NCDC Bill says it is the responsibility of parent or guardian to ensure a child gets vaccinated; and it further mandates the Registrar of births and deaths to, immediately after registration of birth, issue notice to such parent or guardian to get the child vaccinated against the diseases.
Article 47 says the power to order certain persons to undergo vaccination or other prophylaxis rests with the Director-General of NCDC who may order any person or class of persons not protected or vaccinated against the disease to forcefully undergo vaccination or other prophylaxis within such period as may be specified in the order.
Article 48 stressed that no vaccination should be carried out except under the direct supervision of the Director- General or any officer of NCDC who is designated by the director for the purpose.
Article 49 stipulated that only the Director-General or any designated officer of the NCDC has the power to postpone or exempt any person from vaccination where there is a valid medical reason.
On the contrary, Article 6 of the UNESCO Declaration stresses the importance of consent on the issue of vaccination and other activities that relate to human rights.
The proposed NCDC Bill was sponsored by Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila; and two other lawmakers — Paschal Obi (Ideato North/South Federal Constituency of Imo State) and Tanko Sununu (Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal Constituency of Kebbi State).
It seeks to repeal the Quarantine Act of 2004, as well as to create the legal framework for the Federal Government to effectively manage issues pertaining to infectious disease outbreaks.
Meanwhile, the Senate, on Tuesday, introduced the ‘National Health Emergency Bill’, sponsored by the chairman of Senate Committee on Primary Healthcare and Communicable Disease, representing Enugu North senatorial district, Senator Chukwuka Utazi.
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