A decision by Tunisian authorities to restrict the right of health workers to make statements about the coronavirus pandemic has drawn the ire of medical professionals, rights groups and the public at large.
On Tuesday, Amnesty International and Tunisia’s medical association urged the government to allow health workers full freedom of expression.
The authorities earlier said medics must be pre-authorised to speak publicly about the pandemic.
In an interview on a local TV channel, Health Minister Faouzi Mehdi explained Tuesday that the ministerial directive, which he described as “a memo” sent out to Tunisian doctors was only meant to list the ministry of health’s medical staff that are qualified to give out accurate facts on the pandemic.
The document did not, however, cover the expression of opinion or any criticism of the country’s vaccination drive, he insisted.
Amnesty International and Tunisia’s medical association Tuesday urged the government to allow health workers full freedom of expression, after authorities said medics must be pre-authorized to speak publicly about the coronavirus pandemic. https://t.co/68M1NNVs9P
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) April 21, 2021
“We believe information is sacred but comment is free,” Mehdi said.
The gag order drew suspicions as it came amid a surge of infections and accusations of inadequate public health responses by the authorities who failed to import sufficient quantities of vaccines or to upgrade medical facilities ahead of time.
The health ministry on Friday published a list of medics and health officials authorised to make declarations on the topic to the media or on social networks.
The government order states that “only a nominated list of representatives from the health sector will be authorised to deal with written and audio-visual media, as well as social media.”
It lists the general director of the National Observatory of New and Emerging diseases and the members of the Scientific Commission to fight new Coronavirus as the only individuals authorised to speak to journalists or comment on social media about “the epidemiological situation and the preventative measures to fight COVID-19.”
The order lists four other names from specific institutions who are allowed to make public statements about the national vaccination campaign.
Directors of public health institutions are listed as being the only representatives entitled to speak about the health situation and preventative measures in hospitals and other health institutions.
A decision by Tunisian authorities to restrict the right of health workers to make statements about the coronavirus pandemic has drawn the ire of medical professionals, rights groups and the public at large. https://t.co/RCeu8mZAos
— The Arab Weekly (@ArabWeekly) April 22, 2021
The order warns that anyone who contravenes the rules may face “disciplinary and penal sanctions.”
Amnesty International said the restrictions were “unnecessary and disproportionate and are clearly inconsistent with the right to freedom of expression.”
“This ministerial order is a blatant attempt by Tunisia’s authorities to censor health workers and silence critics of the government’s Covid-19 response,” Amna Guellali, Amnesty’s deputy regional director, said in a statement.
Tunisia’s national medical association Tuesday also expressed support for “doctors’ right to state their views in their area of expertise and according to established scientific data.”
The government order came as Tunisia has been facing an unprecedented increase in coronavirus-related hospitalisations that has overwhelmed some intensive care units and as the number of officially registered Covid-19 deaths approaches 10,000, in a country of around 11 million.
Hechmi Louzir, general director of the Pasteur Institute said Wednesday his country is considering the closing of its borders with France and Libya to stem the spread of the new virus variants. With about 90% of intensive care units in hospitals and clinics occupied, fears are growing that the health facilities of the North African nation would soon be overwhelmed.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
