Uganda intends to impose fines on individuals who choose not to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The Parliament’s Health Committee is scrutinizing the Public Health (Amendment) Bill 2021, which seeks to make coronavirus vaccination mandatory. The new law proposes a fine of 4 million Ugandan shillings for those who fail to get vaccinated. Relatedly, those who are unable to pay could be sent to prison due to an amendment of a public health law currently being reviewed in Parliament. Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng told Parliament recently that the amendment is important to repeal the obsolete provisions, revise the fines for offenses committed and protect citizens. “The bill has a section on vaccination and immunization as a public health measure to protect the vulnerable,” she said. “When we introduce new vaccines, we need to get a mass of people so we create mass immunity. It is important that whoever is supposed to be vaccinated, is vaccinated.” There are currently slightly over 16 million COVID-19 jabs that have been administered in a population of 45 million. “According to the proposal, those who do not get vaccinated against COVID-19 will be fined 4 million shillings or [receive] a jail term of six months,” said a statement from Parliament. The proposed law is yet to be approved by Parliament.