File Photo: Pregnant

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) says based on local and international evidence; it is now safe for Covid-19 vaccines to be administered to pregnant women in Ghana.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, disclosed that at the initial stages of the vaccine roll-out, his outfit was skeptical about administering the vaccines to pregnant women.

However, pregnant women can now receive the Covid-19 jabs based on recent data and findings.

“We’ve done quite a lot of work. As Ghana Health Service and all the other agencies who’re working with us, we’re all concerned about pregnant women, and that’s why we didn’t add them in the first place, in the first one year of implementation.

“But now that we have enough evidence both international and local, we are now able to add pregnant women to it, because it’s effective and safe.

“There are studies in Ghana, where we’re collaborating and even looking at the effects on breastfeeding etc, and so far it is safe, and that is why we’re adding that.

“And then they’ve also recommended specific vaccines that can be used for pregnant women, just like we have specific ones for 15-year-olds; those below 18 and 15,” Dr Kuma-Aboagye explained.

The disclosure by the Ghana Health Service was part of series of updates on Ghana’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

In this regard, Dr Kuma-Aboagye also indicated that the Ghana Health Service will implement a vaccine booster policy to stem the tide.