IPOH, Jan 3 — Babies born from this year onwards will be eligible for free pneumococcal vaccinations starting June, said Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye.
He said the ministry is in the process of procuring the vaccine for distribution to all clinics and hospitals.
“A total of RM60 million has been allocated for the pneumococcal vaccination programme, which we expect to be implemented by June. Every baby born from January 1 this year is eligible.
“Babies born before that date are not included in the budget, so we cannot give them the vaccination for free,” he told reporters in Ipoh today.
When tabling Budget 2020 on October 11 last year, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng announced that the government will allocate RM30.6 billion for the Health Ministry, of which RM60 million is for children’s pneumococcal vaccination.
Dr Lee added that 42 summonses were issued in Perak on Wednesday, the first day of the enforcement of the smoking ban at eateries.
He said in checks on 612 eateries in the state that day, summonses were issued to 26 customers for lighting up, restaurants for not having no-smoking signs (10) and underage smokers (6).
“The summonses issued to children below 18 must be paid by their parents.”
He said those who want to quit smoking can get help in the form of medication and specialist treatment at government clinics from as low as RM1.
“Since 2012, 18,600 smokers have kicked the habit through the nationwide health programme.”
— Bernama
