Vaccinate your child or face jail term and fine

Muscat, July 17 - Parents/guardians who “deliberately do not fulfil obligations” vis-à-vis vaccination of their child will face imprisonment as well as fine, according to Article 19 of the Child Law. The law was issued as per Royal Decree No 22/2014, entitling every child in the Sultanate to convenient life standards that fulfil his physical, mental, psychological and social needs. Parents/guardians shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not less than three months and not more than three years and a fine of not less than RO 100 and not more than RO 500 or one of these penalties. Penalty will be a fine if it has occurred due to negligence. Failure to comply with vaccination of the child as per the Ministry of Health’s regulations makes parents “legally accountable”, says the Article. Every child has the right to get vaccinated against infectious diseases in government hospitals free of charge as well as in private institutions licensed by the ministry. Parents should be committed to immunise their children as per regulations and dates prescribed by the ministry. These institutions must register details of the vaccination in the child’s health card. Zainab al Nassri