Mandatory vaccination way to address Covid-19, says Tom

By LULU MARK
MANDATORY vaccination is the way forward in addressing the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic but this is a democratic country hence the rights of the people must be respected, an official says.
Fisheries Minister Dr Lino Tom was responding to a statement in Parliament last Wednesday by Abau MP Sir Puka Temu, calling on the Government to sanction mandatory vaccination in light of the low vaccination rate in the country.
“Coming from the medical fraternity, the only way you can eradicate any illness is through vaccination,” he said.
“There is no other way.
“Either you allow the people to be infected which there is no guarantee they will live or you subject them to a non-fatal way of actually giving them immunity and that is through vaccination.
“So I agree with him (Sir Puka) fully.
“I mean that’s the advice that should be given by someone who is coming from a medical background. “That’s exactly what I said in my debate as well that if it was in a controlled democracy, we would have imposed mandatory vaccination.
“But because our constitution clearly articulates you should respect the rights of the people, that (voluntary vaccination) is the path we are taking.”
Dr Tom said there would be surges and people needed to be getting vaccinated to protect themselves.
He said the Government needed to invest in building the country’s health capacity but it should be driven by demand where the infection and death rates were high and not because politicians wanted resources to be funnelled through their own districts and provinces.
“I think the Government has done more than enough (in building up the health capacity) given the resources available to them,” he said.
“If we were in Australia, we probably might have billions of dollars available to do everything.
“We have a very tight fiscal space here and within that resource envelope that we have, the Government has prioritised health and they should be commended for that.
“It’s not a political statement because I am part of the Government now.
“I am in Cabinet and I can see where Prime Minister James Marape is putting his emphasis and priorities.”
Tom urged the people to play their part in helping the Government tackle the Coronavirus pandemic by getting vaccinated.