State Governments Begin To Host Vaccine Drives For Pregnant Women But There Are No Takers Yet
While the entire world is slowly emerged from the worst to this unprecedented pandemic, India particularly has been backed into a wall, where people are literally grasping at straws. From medicines to hospital beds to concentrators to even oxygen cylinders, everything is difficult to find and procure. And so last month when the government decided to make vaccines available to everyone above the age of 18, the scarcity of doses only made it worse. Especially for pregnant and lactating women who were met with both – shortage of vaccines and the lack of information about whether the vaccine is safe.
With a lot of rumors and unverified news floating around about the risks that pregnant women would supposedly have from getting a jab, everyone from the government to the doctors to health professionals have tried to step in to urge upon the importance of pregnant getting vaccinated.
In light of this, Mumbai has recently become one of the first states in India to allow pregnant women to get vaccinated. The condition being that pregnant women must offer consent through a form and present a certificate from their gynaecologist that says they are fit for the jab.
Also Read : National Commission for Women Helpline For Pregnant Women Received 648 Calls In Last 20 Days
After a Central directive, the Mumbai civic body on Monday allowed lactating mothers and pregnant women to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19 at approved centres without prior registration, officials said on Monday.https://t.co/RoDBaaxkMx
— The Wire (@thewire_in) May 25, 2021
And while the Mumbai Govt. was able to immunise 1,032 lactating women after the approval from the center, pregnant women haven’t really stepped up to get the vaccine yet. Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner said, “We have instructed all our centres to allow pregnant women, but so far it seems no pregnant women has come.”
Dr Ashok Anand, head of gynaecology department in JJ hospital further elaborated on the issue as he said, “Pregnant women are not confident about taking the jab, they worry about its impact. Since there is no awareness on this subject, not many are inquiring about it.”
COVID Mumbai news: Lactating moms, pregnant women of all ages can walk-in to choose vaccine jabs https://t.co/hqEzYgm7go
— News 4 Social (@newsforsocial) May 25, 2021
Meanwhile, the state of Tamil Nadu is also now considering to permit pregnant women to get a vaccine after immense pressure from senior doctors who say this needs to be done on a priority basis. Dr Manonmani Arun, a senior gynaecologist with a private hospital in Madurai, stated, “During the second wave of the pandemic, we are seeing an increased number of pregnant women and new mothers losing their lives owing to Covid-19. I feel that there is an urgent need to vaccinate these women and I do appeal to the TN Public Health Department to request the Union government to inoculate these women on a priority basis.”
Despite several efforts being made by health professionals and the central governments, women are still apprehensive of getting the vaccine and that points out the lack of awareness that still revolves around.
