18 pregnant women in Johor died of COVID-19 since start of 2021 - Vidyananthan

ISKANDAR PUTERI: A total of 18 pregnant women have died in Johor due to COVID-19 since the start of this year, the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) was told today.

In taking a serious view of the issue, Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman R. Vidyananthan said they are continuously monitoring pregnant women and encouraging them to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

"Based on the state's health department data, 30,000 pregnant women in Johor have received one dose of the vaccination jab, while 9,177 have been fully vaccinated," he said during the winding-up session at the 14th Johor DUN sitting at Sultan Ismail Building in Kota Iskandar today.

Yesterday, Johor deputy Speaker Gan Peck Cheng suggested that the state government consider vaccinating pregnant and breastfeeding women at health clinics during their monthly check-ups.

"Besides speeding up vaccination, they will be more confident when they are provided advice from experts and nurses at the clinics," she said during the session.

Gan (PH-Penggaram) said the proposal would ease the burden of pregnant and breastfeeding women from having to wait for their turn at vaccination centres.

-- BERNAMA