Kuwait: Parents who refuse to vaccinate their children will be jailed
Guardians in Kuwait who refuse to vaccinate their children to protect them from diseases will be fined and jailed, Al-Rai daily reported today.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health has indicated that criminal penalties including imprisonment and fines will be imposed on parents who refuse to vaccinate their children to protect them from diseases.
Article 83 of the Child Protection Law No. 21/2015 stipulates that “Without prejudice to any more severe penalty stipulated by another law, each parent, guardian or whoever is legally responsible for the care of a child, who has not initiated immunization with vaccines against infectious and childhood diseases in accordance with the regulations and instructions issued by the competent medical authorities, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, and/or a fine not exceeding KD 1,000”.
Head of the Child Rights Protection Office at the ministry Dr Mona Al-Khawari said, ” Parents who refrain from vaccinating their children by the specified dates should be informed about the articles in the Child Protection Law, and they should be given a grace period of 14 days.”
In case of failure to comply after the grace period, the office shall be notified and necessary legal action will be taken against the concerned parents.
Dr Al Khawari called on all parents to initiate the vaccination of their children on the specified dates in order to avoid what may result in criminal penalties stipulated by the Child Rights Protection Act.
