Media statement by MP for Kulai, Teo Nie Ching on 24 May 2021:
Vaccine Registration Form should be amended immediately to include pregnancy and lactations status while pregnant women should be prioritised before they reach week 34
Coordinating Minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NCIP) Khairy Jamaluddin told us last week that only the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine will be allowed for pregnant women in Malaysia.
Based on advice by experts at the Health Ministry, only the Pfizer vaccine is allowed for pregnant women between week 14 and 33, or they should defer vaccination until after their pregnancy. The vaccine is also suitable for nursing mothers.
At the same time, Khairy also said the use of other Covid-19 vaccines in Malaysia, namely, Sinovac were not advised for the group due to the limited clinical data.
1 week after the announcement, the registration form for vaccination has made zero changes. MySejahtera questionnaire does not ask about pregnancy and lactations, nor does the online registration form.
So how will the data algorithm then determine whether a pregnant and nursing mother will be or should be registered for the Pfizer vaccine as per the statement given by Khairy? And how will the Government know how much Pfizer vaccine they need to reserve and allocate for this group of mothers?
Khairy told us that the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) would coordinate with hospitals and the respective specialists to make arrangements so they are given priority to receive the Pfizer vaccine. However we hear no further announcement until today.
We have to keep asking because as stated by Khairy, the Pfizer vaccine is only suitable for pregnant women between week 14 and 33, or they would need to defer their vaccination.
In other words, any delay, even by 1 day, means more and more pregnant women are being denied their access to vaccines prior to their delivery.
As Khairy has mentioned that AZ is not advised for this group of mothers, JKJAV must amend the registration form for AZ before the registration is opened to the general public below the age of 60, so that pregnant and nursing mothers will not be administered AZ vaccine by mistake.
Also, MySejahtera’s questionnaire should be amended immediately to include pregnancy and lactation status so that pregnant women, especially those in 3rd trimester, will be given priority before they reach week 34.
