Shin Jonghyuk, Gwangju Nam-gu Council Member, Calls for Pertussis Vaccination Support for Pregnant Women

"Nam-gu, a Place Where It Is Good to Give Birth and Raise Children"

Shin Jonghyuk, a member of Gwangju Namgu Council, giving a "5-minute speech."

There have been calls for local governments to support pertussis vaccination for pregnant women to protect the health of both mothers and fetuses.

Shin Jonghyuk, a member of the Gwangju Nam-gu Council, stated during a five-minute speech at the first plenary session of the 310th special meeting on the 12th, "Last year, a two-month-old infant died from pertussis," and explained, "Pertussis is classified as a Group 2 notifiable infectious disease, and the Korean Pediatric Hospital Association considers it an even more serious infectious disease than COVID-19."

He added, "Last year, the number of pertussis patients in the district increased to 40, and in the Philippines, around 100 children died. Fortunately, in our country, children aged six months to 13 years are eligible for free vaccination under the national immunization program, resulting in a relatively high pertussis vaccination rate."

He continued, "However, pregnant women are excluded from free vaccination, and many are unable to get vaccinated due to the cost. Pertussis vaccination during pregnancy is an important preventive measure that protects both the mother and fetus by preventing complications and forming immunity before childbirth."

He further stated, "Nam-gu should support pertussis vaccination for pregnant women in this era of low birth rates to ensure a safe living environment. I hope Nam-gu becomes a place where people can safely give birth and raise children by protecting pregnant women and fetuses from the risk of infectious diseases."

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