보건복지부 영문홈페이지

Subsidizing vaccinations for babies and toddlers to be expanded beginning this March (support for HiB vaccines to be included)

- In a survey regarding the government’s plan to expand support, 7 out 10 parents and guardians said “support for vaccinations have lessened the burden of raising children” -

 

The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said that they will support vaccinations for HiB (Haemophilus influenza type B) beginning this March.

 

HiB is an infectious disease for babies and toddlers which can lead to serious complications such as meningitis and pneumonia, and the only way to prevent the disease is by inoculating babies and toddlers.

 

Previously, parents and guardians had to pay for shots against HiB, but now the government will subsidize the cost of vaccination medicine and any labor charges as they will be included into the regular vaccinations beginning March.

 

- HiB vaccine is free of charge at public health centers, but a shot of the HiB vaccine will cost 5,000 won at government-designated hospitals.

 

※ Some municipal governments will provide additional subsidies, and make vaccination free even at private hospitals. Check available areas at http://nip.cdc.go.kr.

 

(As of February 26^th, 90.0% of the babies and toddlers requiring vaccination will enjoy the benefits of a completely free vaccination with the support from 12 regional local governments and 200 basic local governments.)

 

※ Check designated hospitals nearby and find out more about available vaccines at http://nip.cdc.go.kr .

 

As the government will subsidize the HiB vaccine from March, a total of 11 vaccines will be subsidized at private clinics and hospitals.

 

- In order to increase the effectiveness of vaccinations and reduce the vaccination costs that parents will have to pay, the government has introduced two new vaccines while operating the support program. (The DTaP-IPV combination vaccine which reduces the frequency of vaccinations in October, 2011 and the Tdap vaccine in January, 2012)

 

Meanwhile, the KCDC conducted a survey regarding the previous year of the support program to reduce the deductible to 5,000 won.

 

※ A telephone survey of 1,700 parents and guardians of babies younger than one year old was conducted with a 95% margin of error and a confidence level of ±2.4%.

 

As a result, 90.1% (1,521 persons) of the respondents said that they were satisfied with the support program.

 

※ very satisfied 13.0%, satisfied 43.9%, average 33.2%, dissatisfied 8.3%, very dissatisfied 1.6%

 

- The respondents were satisfied for easier access to vaccination organizations (89.8%) and the time convenience of vaccinations (85.3%), and 73.6% (1,252 persons) of the respondents said that the medical burdens of raising children were lessened thanks to the government’s subsidies for vaccinations.

 

-       In an additional survey, most of the parents and guardians (97.9%) said that they hope the essential vaccination support program will be expanded further.

 

※ Prioritized rank of required support: vaccination against streptococcus pneumoniae, rotavirus, influenza, hepatitis A, and human papillomavirus.

 

- Regarding an advanced notice and information on vaccination, 97.4% of respondents said that it will be helpful, and 68.7% said that they want to receive related information via their mobile phone.

 

“The essential vaccination support program for children is an important strategy for the public health project to lessen the burdens of young parents as well as to protect children, the old, and the weak by increasing immunity for the entire nation,” said KCDC Director Jeon Byungyul. “We will make efforts to develop policies in order to establish a healthy culture of preventing diseases in advance through vaccination.”

 

Attachment 1. An overview of the essential vaccination support program in 2013

 

 

[Attachment 1] An overview of the essential vaccination support program in 2013

 

An overview of the essential vaccination support program in 2013

 

□ Objectives

To increase rates of vaccination in community societies (higher than 95% of the elimination level) by inoculating children with essential vaccines against infectious diseases more conveniently and less burdensomely through expanded support from the government

 

□ An overview of the program

Subjects of the program: children aged 12 or younger (born after January 1^st in 2000)

Contents of the program: subsidizing national essential vaccinations (11 vaccines) at designated medical institutions

 

※ partially subsidizing vaccines and medical service fees for every round of vaccination (lower than 5,000 won of deductibles)

 

※ Some local governments will provide additional subsidies for completely free vaccination (respective to resident registration address, inquires should be made to district health centers).

 

※ Search for designated medical institutions available at websites of city halls, county offices, district offices, and public health centers, or the National Immunity Program (http://nip.cdc.go.kr)

 

Subsidized vaccines: 10 kinds in 2012 -> 11 in 2013

 

※ Subsidizing the HiB vaccination will begin March, 2013.

 

 BCG (intradermal),  hepatitis B,  DTaP (diphteriae/tetanus/pertussis), IPV (polio), DTaP-IPV (diphteriae/tetanus/pertussis/polio), MMR (measles/mumps/rubella), chicken pox, Japanese encephalitis, Td (tetanus/diphteriae),  Tdap (tetanus/diphteriae/pertussis), HiB (Haemophilus influenza type B)

 

Regardless of residential areas, vaccinations will be supported at designated hospitals nearby.

※ Essential vaccinations at public health centers will continue to remain free of charge.