Mukono District Health Officer Dr. Stephen Mulindwa has advised expectant mothers to go for vaccination to be on the safe side with their unborn babies.
While talking to Scribe News at Mukono District Headquarters Dr. Mulindwa said that the district health team has received reports that pregnant women are shunning vaccination due to fear that they may suffer miscarriages.
Mulindwa said only pregnant women from 1-4 months are the ones not to go for vaccination but those between 5-9 months must go in for the jab.
“Research shows that the vaccine is safe for those between 5-9 months. The side effects are expected but they are
not as fatal as they are being exaggerated in communities, ” Mulindwa said.
According to the new research conducted in six countries by African Forum for Research and Education in Health (AFRE Health) a pan medical research organization based in Kumasi Ghana, pregnant women with Covid-19 are five times more likely to die from the disease than their counterparts who don’t have the disease.
The research was presented by Prof. Jean Nachega, an Epidemiologist and infectious disease expert from the University of Pittsburgh (US) to journalists from Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe during a cross – border media dialogue via zoom.
The study was carried out in 22 hospitals between 1st March 2020 and 31st march in countries including Uganda, Kenya and Ghana.
The Initiative for Social and Economic Rights programs officer in charge of the Right to Health Ms. Sumaya Labila Musoke said the organization encourages all citizens to fully participate in the vaccination because it is also their right and duty to participate in government programs as per the 1995 Constitution under Article 38.
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