PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry will carry on with its current scientific management of the Zika virus outbreak until the National Fatwa Council reaches its decision on the issue of infected pregnant women.
Health Minister Datuk Seri S Subramaniam said the council met with officials of the ministry yesterday, but no decision was made.
"They have weighed all medical and scientific input from our side, but no decision was made.
“But they also told us to continue with our current scientific management based on available policies in the ministry," he told reporters earlier.
Subramaniam said the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Dr Chen Chaw Min and director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah had attended the meeting and relayed all necessary information to the Islamic religious council.
However, he was not present at a meeting which took place at the Deputy Prime Minister's office.
"The council and Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) will continue to be notified of the Zika situation in the country," he added.
Two weeks ago, Dr Subramaniam said the Cabinet had instructed the ministry to consider allowing pregnant women infected with Zika to undergo abortions after taking scientific and Islamic perspectives into consideration.
He had said that the ministry's stand on abortion is that it is only allowed if there is a risk to the pregnant mother.
Federal Territory Mufti Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri was also previously reported as saying that pregnancy termination for a woman infected with Zika can be done if having the child would bring difficulty, sadness and suffering to the family.