The Ministry of Health should collect data on the uptake of Covid-19 vaccine among pregnant women to avoid vaccine inequities in future epidemics. This is according to scientists who studied factors influencing the Covid-19 vaccine decision-making process among pregnant and lactating women in Kenya.
They interviewed pregnant and lactating women, health workers, and policymakers. Pregnant and lactating women in Kenya only began to receive Covid-19 vaccines in August 2021, five months after the Health ministry launched a vaccination drive.
In a press statement on August 20, 2021, Mr Mutahi Kagwe, the Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) at the time, said consultation with professional bodies, including Kenya Medical Association and Kenya Obstetrical and Gynecological Society, had established the vaccine’s potential benefits outweighed the risks.
He said the ministry had advised vaccinating staff not to turn away pregnant women or lactating mothers. Instead, they were to counsel them, let them know there were potential benefits and unknown risks. They were to vaccinate them only if they requested them to do so.
Safety concerns
The CS acknowledged that there was limited data on the safety of Covid-19 vaccine among pregnant and breastfeeding women. The study found health workers were hesitant to administer the vaccine to pregnant and lactating women as the Health ministry had yet to clear the air on whether it was safe for them.
The women, on the other hand, were reluctant to receive the jab as they perceived the hesitation of the health workers to administer the vaccine to be an indication that it was unsafe. The study warns that the exclusion of pregnant and lactating women in vaccine trials would continue to perpetuate vaccine inequities in future epidemics.
Based on the findings, the researchers urge the Health ministry to prioritise pregnant and lactating women in Covid-19 vaccination policies and campaigns.
According to the ministry’s vaccination update, as of January 6, 2022, Nairobi led with the number of fully vaccinated Kenyans at 1,698,004. Mandera had the least number at 36, 060. It however does not provide a breakdown of jabbed men and women.
