Bangladesh
Jab For Pregnant Women High Court wants specific announcement on Covid-19 vaccine for pregnant women
Dhaka, August 2: The country's High Court has ruled that a definite announcement on coronavirus vaccination for pregnant women is needed within 72 hours.
"The Health Minister told the press on Sunday (August 1) that he was deciding on the vaccination for pregnant women. We think a specific announcement on this issue needs to come in the next 72 hours," the court said.
"You will ask the Attorney General to contact the relevant ministry, the Directorate General of Health Services and the National Advisory Committee on coronavirus, so that they can decide on this matter. As the Minister said (he is making a decision), we are not giving any formal order now," the court told the Deputy Attorney General.
A virtual single bench of High Court Justice M Enayetur Rahim on Monday (August 2nd) heard the writ petition seeking directions to take coronavirus vaccination of pregnant women on priority basis.
Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab appeared for the writ petition in the court today. Deputy Attorney General Samarendra Nath Biswas and Bipul Bagmar were present at the hearing on behalf of the state.
Earlier, on July 29, a legal notice was sent to five concerned persons, including three secretaries of the government, requesting them to take coronavirus vaccination on priority basis.
As no action was taken after the notice, a writ petition was filed in the High Court on July 31 seeking directions to vaccinate pregnant women on a priority basis to prevent the spread of corona in the public interest.
Supreme Court lawyers Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab and Barrister Mohammad Kausar filed the writ petition on behalf of the Law and Life Foundation, a human rights organization in the relevant branch of the High Court.
Earlier on Thursday (July 29), the human rights group Law and Life Foundation sent a legal notice to government officials, including the secretary of the health ministry, via e-mail.
"It was informed that if the coronavirus vaccination of pregnant women is not started on priority basis by sending a notice in this regard in the public interest, a writ will be filed in the High Court for necessary guidance rather than remedy in this regard. As no action was taken in this regard, a writ petition was filed seeking vaccination of pregnant women on priority basis," lawyer Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab said.
According to research, pregnant women are at higher risk of contracting coronavirus and their lives and those of the baby are at risk if infected for any reason.
