New Delhi: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) announced on July 2 that women who are pregnant or lactating can now take the vaccine against COVID-19. The Union Health Ministry said that it has made the decision based on the recommendations of the expert panel National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI). As it expands the eligibility criteria to help protect expecting mothers and their unborn babies from the disease, there have been many myths floating around on social media, as a result, India is seeing vaccine hesitancy in that group.
According to the vaccination data available with the union health ministry, around 19.59 crore women and 22.45 crore men have received covid-19 vaccines so far.
New Delhi: The International Women’s Day 2021 comes on the back of one of the worst health and humanitarian crisis that humanity has seen in close to a century. The pandemic unleashed disruption in social and economic lives, especially for the marginalised and at-risk groups. Of the 690 million people who are food insecure in the world right now, 60 per cent are women and girls. According to the World Food Programme, because of the pandemic, hunger levels are expected to double and the heaviest burden will fall on women and girls. In countries facing conflict, famine and hunger, women often eat last and least. It is important to focus on the disproportionate impact that rising hunger levels are expected to have on women. But what is equally important is to highlight that women are also the solution, and giving them access to food, tools and resources can make all the difference.