29 Nov 2010

After needless deaths of unvaccinated children Zimbabwe plans law to criminalize medical neglect

Voice of America - April 6, 2010

Zimbabwe Health Ministry Prepares Law Making Child Medical Care Obligatory

Health and Child Welfare Minister Henry Madzorera said the new law will be drafted along the lines of legislation in other Southern African countries

by Patience Rusere | Washington


Faced with the spread of deadly measles due in part to resistance to vaccination by religious sects, Zimbabwe health officials are drafting legislation that will make it illegal for parents to deny children medical care.

Health and Child Welfare Minister Henry Madzorera said the new law will be drafted along the lines of legislation in other Southern African countries.

While passing such legislation will take time, Dr. Madzorera said his ministry has rolled out a campaign to educate parents, particularly those belonging to the Johannes Marange religious sect and others which oppose immunization, about the risks of failing to immunize their children against diseases.

More than 180 children have died of measles in recent months, most of them from families belonging to such religious sects, health authorities say.

Dr. Douglas Gwatidzo, chairman of the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights, told VOA Studio 7 reporter Patience Rusere that such a law is overdue given the public health risks of refusing vaccination on religious or other grounds.

This article was found at:

http://www1.voanews.com/zimbabwe/news/health/Govt-To-Draft-Law-To-Compell-Parents-To-Take-Children-For-Medical-Treatment-90020427.html


RELATED ARTICLES: 


 
Unvaccinated children of Apostolic sect in Zimbabwe continue to needlessly die from measles


Measles outbreak in Zimbabwe reveals Apostolic sects endangering children by refusing to vaccinate them

Zimbabwe sect that shuns vaccinations is hiding sick members from health authorities in midst of measles epidemic


Zimbabwe police assist with door-to-door vaccination after sect children die from measles


Zimbabwe health officials insist they will not use law to compel sect members to vaccinate kids in midst of deadly measles outbreak





Conflict between parental and children's rights at center of Zimbabwean debate over forced vaccinations of sect children



Vaccination dramatically cuts childhood disease



Christians refuse mumps vaccine, fuel outbreak: Officials



Growing mumps outbreak linked to single case in religious group opposed to vaccination



Dutch Reformed conservatives at root of Canadian mumps outbreak



Mumps outbreak linked to lack of immunization among fundamentalist Christians



Mom: Immunizing Daughter Against My Religion and She Might Get Autism



Vaccines and Autism: the zombie meme that won't die

No comments:

Post a Comment