An employee of the National Health Mission (NHM) today alleged that staff are being forced to get themselves vaccinated against Covid-19 even though being immunized is supposed to be a matter of personal choice.
“We were threatened that any person who does not want to take the vaccine will have to resign (from the NHM),” an employee said on condition of anonymity.
The staff member alleged that the Mission Director of the NHM summoned some of the employees and demanded to know why they did not want to take the vaccine.
The employee, however, said that he has not outrightly refused to get the jab but is not willing to do at present because there has been, he claimed, a lack of awareness on the subject.
In reply to this, Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek today reiterated that getting the vaccine is not mandatory but it is advised.
“We are appealing to them to take the vaccine because it will be helpful to protect one from the virus. But we cannot force someone who doesn’t want to take it,” Hek said. However, the government has yet to receive a formal complaint, without which no further action can be taken, he added.
