THE Sri Lankan advisory committee on communicable diseases of the health ministry has recommended Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines for pregnant women.
Deputy director general of health services Dr. Hemantha Herath told the Daily Mirror since there is no sufficient data on other vaccines, the Committee had recommended only the Sinopharm vaccines to be given to pregnant mothers.
Though Army Commander Shavendra Silva announced on Thursday (3) that the pregnant woman would be given priority when giving Sinopharm vaccine in relevant areas, Dr. Herath said there are certain practical issues in giving vaccines to the pregnant women, the Daily Mail reported.
“However, the family health bureau is in the process of sorting them out. There are certain checks that need to be included in the circular that is to be issued soon in this regard" he said.
He stressed that vaccinating pregnant mothers has not yet commenced, and added it would take some time to finalise the relevant guidelines, and only after that the vaccination could be started.
Moreover, he said he had received several reports that some pregnant mothers have got the vaccines without proper approval from the health ministry.
The attention to vaccinate pregnant mothers in Sri Lanka has been drawn as they come under one of the high-risk categories.
"As it is a very complicated process, the family health bureau is still developing the guidelines,” Dr. Herath revealed.
Forsyth was awarded a CBE for services to literature in 1997Getty Images
