PUTRAJAYA SEPT.30: The Ministry of Health (MOH) has allowed husbands or immediate family members to accompany pregnant women during childbirth effective 4th Oct. 2021 following the country’s pandemic situation has started to show positive signs apart from increasing vaccination rates.
Director General of Health, Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah said, the husband or immediate family members are allowed during childbirth provided they follow the set criteria fixed by the ministry.
Dr. Noor Hisham said, the husband or immediate family member has received a complete dose of COVID-19 vaccine namely; 14 days after the second dose of two dose type vaccines such as Pfizer, Sinovac, and Astra Zeneca; or 28 days after receiving one dose type vaccine such as CanSino and Johnson & Johnson.
“Immediate family members should undergo a COVID-19 detection test (RT-PCR or RTK-Ag) at any health facility or private laboratory within 72 hours and test results should be brought along before accompanying the pregnant mother to the Maternity Ward. Husbands or immediate family members should also limit their movement after undergoing RT-PCR or RTK-Ag testing.
“Immediate family members can also purchase a COVID-19 Self-Test Kit that has been approved by the Medical Device Authority (MDA) and take it to the hospital to undergo a COVID-19 self-detection test at a screening site provided at the hospital under the supervision and certification of a health worker on duty,” Dr. Noor Hisham said in a statement here today.
Dr. Noor Hisham added, all MOH hospitals are “Baby Friendly Hospitals.” Through this initiative, the hospital encourages either the husband or immediate family members to accompany the wife during the birth process. This is because the birth process requires strong emotional and physical support.
“This initiative also depends on the policy in each hospital taking into account aspects of safety, patient privacy as well as the current situation in the delivery room.
“During the increase in COVID-19 infections, hospitals sought to reduce congestion at MOH health premises. One of the steps taken was not to allow the husband to enter the delivery room. The main purpose is to curb the spread of COVID-19 infection, especially among high-risk groups such as pregnant women and children,” Dr. Noor Hisham reiterated. –Malaysia World News
