SHILLONG, March 25: Health Minister AL Hek on Thursday maintained that the Director of North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homoeopathy (NEIAH) cannot force anyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine jab as it is purely voluntary.
“It is advisable to take the COVID-19 vaccine for your own safety and that of your family and friends but the Director cannot force the staff to take it as the state government has not made it mandatory,” the Health minister said.
Hek, however, appealed the staff to consider getting vaccinated keeping the overall safety of all in mind.
“We cannot force them but I would request them to get vaccinated,” the minister said.
Earlier, the Director of NEIAH, Dr PK Goswami, had issued a notice conveying that those employees who fail to get vaccinated will not be allowed to attend to their duties and no payment of any kind would be disbursed to them.
