LAWS OF GUYANA
PUBLIC HEALTH (SCHOOL CHILDREN)
IMMUNISATION ACT
CHAPTER 35:02
Act
32 of 1974

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L.R.O. 1/2012
LAWS OF GUYANA
2 Cap. 35:02 Public Health (School Children)
Immunisation
L.R.O. 1/2012
Note
on
Subsidiary Legislation

This Chapter contains no subsidiary legislation





LAWS OF GUYANA
Public Health (School Children)
Immunisation Cap. 35:02 3
L.R.O. 1/2012
CHAPTER 35:02
PUBLIC HEALTH (SCHOOL CHILDREN)
IMMUNISATION ACT
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
SECTION
1. Short title.
2. Interpretation.
3. Production of certificate of immunisation before admission to
school or day-care centre.
4. Powers of the Minister.
5. Penalties.
6. Power to amend the Schedule.
7. Regulations.
8. This Act to prevail over the Education Act.
SCHEDULE— Specified diseases.
____________________________
32 of 1974 An Act to make provision for the immunisation of persons
seeking entry into schools and day-care centres against
certain communicable diseases, and for other purposes
connected therewith.

Short title.
Interpretation.
1. This Act may be cited as the Public Health (School
Children) Immunisation Act.
2. In this Act—
“certificate of immunisation” means a certificate signed by a
Health Officer certifying that the person named
therein is immune from a communicable disease, that
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Schedule.

Production of
certificate of
immunisation
before
is to say, the person has—
(a) been inoculated with serum and has
had a successful vaccination; or
(b) suffered from a communicable disease
and acquired his own immunity;
“communicable disease” means any disease specified in the
Schedule;
“day-care centre” means any premises, other than premises
used mainly as a private dwelling, where children above
the age of six months are received and taken care of for a
day or part thereof;
“Health Officer” means a duly qualified medical
practitioner registered under any law for the time being
in force in Guyana and includes any person authorised
by the Ministry to administer vaccines;
“parent” includes a guardian;
“school” means an establishment or institution established
for persons who have attained the age of three years, but
have not attained the age of eighteen years;
“Supervisor” means a person who is directly responsible for the
management, control and supervision of a day-care centre
during the hours when children are admitted and cared for
therein.
3. (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall be
admitted to a school or day-care centre unless that person
produces a certificate of immunisation to the Head Teacher or
Principal of the school, or the Supervisor, as the case may be.
mainly for the purpose of providing education suitable
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Immunisation Cap. 35:02 5
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admission to
school or day-
care centre.

Powers of the
Minister.

Penalties.
(2) If a person produces a certificate signed by a
Health Officer certifying that immunisation against any
communicable disease is not advisable on medical grounds, a
certificate of immunisation is not required for the purpose of
subsection (1).
(3) Where the production of a certificate of
immunisation is not required with respect to a person by
virtue of subsection (2), the Head Teacher or Principal of the
school, or the Supervisor, as the case may be, shall enter the
name of that person in a register kept for the purpose.
4. If any communicable disease becomes epidemic,
or if an epidemic of any such disease is threatened the
Minister may, notwithstanding section 3(2), by notice—
(a) suspend persons whose names are
recorded in the register in pursuance
of section 3(3) from attending any
school or day-care centre; and
(b) direct that admission to any school or
day-care centre shall be refused to
every person who does not comply
with the provisions of section 3(1).
5. Every Head Teacher or Principal of a school, and
every Supervisor, who contravenes the provisions of—
(a) section 3(1) or section 4 is liable
on summary conviction to a fine of
nineteen thousand five hundred
dollars;
(b) section 3(3) is liable on summary
conviction to a fine of six thousand
five hundred dollars.
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Power to
amend the
Schedule.
Regulations.

This Act to
prevail over the
Education Act.
c. 39:01
s. 2
6. The Minister may, by order, vary or amend the
Schedule or substitute a new Schedule in place thereof.
7. The Minister may make Regulations for the purpose
of carrying out the provisions of this Act.
8. This Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything
to the contrary in the Education Act.
SCHEDULE
SPECIFIED DISEASES
B.C.G. (Calmet Guerin)
Diphtheria
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Poliomyelitis
Small Pox
Tetanus __________________