The Department of Health Service Support has asked private hospitals to take care of pregnant women in their care if they are found infected with Covid-19.
Tares Krassanairawiwong, director-general of the Department of Health Service Support, said private hospitals must take care of Covid-19 infected women, who have pregnancy visits with their doctors, as they have higher risks of fatality than others and their disease can be passed on to babies.
The hospitals must treat them immediately themselves or transfer them to other hospitals if they can no longer accept cases.
He said the hospitals can seek a refund for Covid-19 treatment costs from the government.
Accordingly, pregnant women can be assured they are covered by government welfare and do not need to pay themselves.
Any private hospitals who violate the agreements can face a penalty of up to two years in prison for their executives and a 40,000 baht fine.
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration spokeswoman Apisamai Srirangson said the government hopes to vaccinate 500,000 pregnant women who are 12 weeks or more into term. Of them, 5.5% have received their first jab and 0.4% their second.
According to surveys, 27% of women who are 14-28 weeks into term and 30% of those who are 29-42 weeks into term have been infected.
Some 41% of women at 14-28 weeks and 55% of those at 29-42 weeks have died of Covid-19, indicating they are vulnerable to Covid-19 fatality.
The Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said pregnant women's mortality was 2.5 higher than general cases during the period from December last year to Aug 13.
