The Minister for Presidency, Milly Babalanda has warned Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) who are denying citizens public services for lack of COVID-19 vaccination certificates.
This comes as government is struggling to cope up with the low uptake of Covid-19 vaccines. In a bid to increase the uptake, RDCs in some districts have resorted to denying services to citizens who are not vaccinated. The Minister for Presidency, Babalanda who directly supervises the office of the RDCs has criticized the move by her field officers, saying “nobody should be denied services due to their vaccination status.”
“I have received concerns that some RDCs/RCCs are denying services to the unvaccinated. Accordingly, I wish to allay public fear. Nobody should be denied services due to their vaccination status (for now). The job of RDCs/RCCs is to mobilise the public to get their jabs,” Babalanda said.
Soroti City RCC, Peter Pex Paak was among the first field officers to block unvaccinated people from accessing his office or services. He ordered that all those seeking services from his office must produce a Covid-19 vaccination card or certificate before they are attended to.
According to Peter Paak, the action was intended to ensure that all the targeted categories of people get vaccinated January 2022.
National medical Stores (NMS) is among the first institutions that have implemented this organizational resolution to bar all unvaccinated persons from accessing their premises. Starting Monday, Parliament will also restrict access to their premises to only those who are vaccinated. National Drug Authority (NDA) has also announced similar measures starting 15th, November.
