Population’s rights outweigh individual rights in a pandemic – Dr Munshi

The President of the Fiji Medical Association says in a pandemic when lives are at stake and where it is everyone’s responsibility to do the responsible thing to protect the population at large, the population’s right to life and health will supersede an individual’s right to choose to unhealthy practices.

Doctor Basharat Munshi says Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights deals with right to life.

He says the healthcare workers have been pleading and advocating for the nation at large to adhere to COVID safe practices which includes getting fully vaccinated.

Doctor Munshi says the evidence is overwhelming that being fully vaccinated will protect an individual from getting a bad outcome or dying from COVID 19, moreover it will help shield our vulnerable population such as our children and the sick and elderly amongst us.

He says sadly, it has come to the point where public health laws have to be amended to make vaccination compulsory for employers and employees.

Doctor Munshi stresses the individual rights are not being taken away through the Health and Safety at Work Regulations.

He says the individual’s choice remains however there are consequences if the workers or employers do not get vaccinated.

The Fiji Medical Association urges all eligible individuals to urgently get fully vaccinated so that we do not lose any more lives and that we do not have any further bad outcomes from COVID-19.

It has been made clear by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama that civil servants who have not received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine must go on leave from today and they cannot come back to work until they receive at least the first dose of the vaccine.

Bainimarama says in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act, they are also requiring that all employers and employees in the private sector and statutory bodies receive at least one dose of the vaccine by 1st August 2021.

For civil servants, that must be done by 15th August 2021, after which they may return to work so long as they go on to be fully vaccinated by 1st November 2021.

Bainimarama says if the civil servants do not adhere to these guidelines they will be dismissed from work.