As the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme continues to be compromised with the black market sales of vaccination booklets, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony is warning that those found quality of such crimes will be fired.
The sale of the books has turned into a million-dollar profiting ring,
The booklets continue to be stamped and sold to some who in some cases have not received a shot of the COVID-19 Vaccination.
Minister Anthony said that he remains quite disappointed knowing that those in the health sector knowing the current threat to the lives of citizens, due to the COVID-19 would still carry out such an act.
“If anybody is guilty they will have to deal with the penalty that is our law, so that’s the first thing. And the second is this. It’s also a breach of professional conduct.
“Nurses are guided by our nursing laws and again we will be taking stringent action by getting this information to the nursing council for them to act upon. We cannot have nurses who are found in a breach like this; it runs counter to the profession so that’s another avenue.
“And, of course, if they are guilty they will not be working with the minister anymore.” Minister Anthony noted.
According to the Government and other experts, the vaccination of the majority of the population will bring the country and the world to some level of normalcy.
Understanding the need for vaccines, the Government along with several donor countries have made vaccines available to all Guyanese.
The Government has also implemented measures to have citizens vaccinated. There is the protocol of only having fully vaccinated persons entering Government buildings and other places. Only fully vaccinated persons can be traveling.
This has sparked some level of debate on the vaccination is mandatory. Some say there is the contention of people not knowing if an individual’s body will react even with the medical pronouncement. There are other instances that would have created some level of hesitancy.
That hesitancy coupled with citizens having to go about their businesses has created a space for a black market in which vaccination cards are sold.
This, however, has posed a risk of jeopardizing the vaccination program. Minister Anthony has expressed great disappointment.
“It is really unfortunate that nurses who are placed in a position of trust to administer these vaccines and make sure that the process goes smoothly have chosen to breach that trust and to sell the vaccination cards,” Minister Anthony added.
So far, some 500 vaccination cards have been recorded as being sold.
