KUALA LUMPUR: Husbands or immediate family members can accompany their wives or relatives during childbirth at public hospitals, from Oct 4, onwards.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said a directive from his medical division deputy Datuk Dr Asmayani Khalib dated Sept 28, has been distributed to all state Health directors.
"The date was chosen to give space for the hospitals to make the preparations," he said during the daily Covid-19 health update today.
Dr Noor Hisham said the prerequisite for the person accompanying the pregnant mother is that he or she should be fully vaccinated.
"The husband or immediate family member must undergo Covid-19 detection test (RT-PCR or RTK-Ag) at any health facility or private laboratory within 72 hours and the test results must be brought along before accompanying the pregnant mother to the maternity ward.
"The person set to accompany the mother should also limit their movements after undergoing RT-PCR or RTK-Ag testing," he said.
Dr Noor Hisham said that a self-test kit which has been approved by the Medical Device Authority (MDA) can be purchased and taken to the hospital for on-site screening under the care, monitoring and verification of health personnel on duty.
"In addition, the husbands and immediate family members who accompany these pregnant women are also reminded to always comply with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) while accompanying these women. This is because they (the women) are a high-risk group that needs to be constantly protected."
Dr Noor Hisham said all public hospitals under the ministry were baby friendly.
"Under this policy, fathers are encouraged to accompany their wives during childbirth for moral support," he said, adding that the allowance was, however, subject to the policies of respective hospitals with security and privacy.
Dr Noor Hisham, however, said the allowance was rescinded during the Movement Control Order last year in order to protect pregnant mothers and their babies while cutting down congestion in public hospitals amid the surge in Covid-19 infections.
On Monday, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin asked Dr Noor Hisham to lift the restriction.
His instructions had come after a social media user had asked for the allowance to be given to fathers who have been fully vaccinated and tested negative for Covid-19.
Khairy's entry was replied by Dr Noor Hisham, who stated: "Yes, will do the needful."