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DOH seeks expansion of government sponsored immunization program

"We hope hatas the volume of vaccinations goes up, costs will go down."

-- Hou Sheng-mao, minister of health

The Department of Health (DOH) will seek an ambitious expansion of the nation's immunization program, the health minister said yesterday.

Speaking at a seminar held by the newly formed Taiwan Immunization Vision and Strategy Alliance, DOH Minister Hou Sheng-mao (侯勝茂) told the press that he was seeking a gradual six-fold increase in the annual budget allocated to the DOH for immunizations from NT$400 million to NT$2.4 billion.

The current list of vaccinations covered by the DOH includes the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP), polio, varicella, measles, mumps and rubella, Japanese encephalitis and influenza.

The coverage includes four DTP shots, but the booster at six years of age is not yet covered. Infants and those over the age of 65 are eligible for free annual influenza shots.

Although his goal is a more comprehensive vaccination program, Hou said that many incremental steps were required.

"The government budget is limited," he said, "so we will complete the project gradually, covering the most serious gaps in immunizations first and giving priority to the marginalized."

Hou said partial coverage of some vaccines may encourage parents to give their children more vaccinations out of pocket.

"We hope that as the volume of vaccinations goes up, costs will go down," Hou said.

To ensure stability in the funding of future vaccination programs, Hou said a central government fund would be created for immunization efforts. The fund would also accept donations from businesses and individuals, he said.

Hou added that in a meeting between international experts in public health policy and President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on Friday, Chen expressed support for the idea of greater investment in vaccinations and the creation of aa fund for the vaccination program.

"If the money is set aside in a fund, it cannot be affected by the vagaries of the budget," Hou said. "For immunization programs to be effective, they must be ongoing."

Lin Tzou-yien (林奏延), the superintendent of Chang Gung Children's Hospital, told the Taipei Times in a phone interview about 30 percent of parents are already supplementing the vaccination program out of pocket.
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