Expansion Project for National Immunization Program Coverage

ABSTRACT

Vaccination service is provided by public health centers and private hospitals in Korea. The central government (Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, KCDC) and local governments support whole public health centers financially including vaccination cost. However, people who get vaccinated at private clinics are not included as beneficiaries, so that they have to cover the expenses by themselves. Under this situation, the immunization registry rate at private clinics is much lower than that of the public sectors, so it is difficult to manage the vaccination history of each person. Through the 2005~2006 year demonstration projects, the government could confirm the necessities of coverage expansion for the National Immunization Program. In addition, the "Communicable Disease Control Law" and its implementing ordinances have been amended in 2006. In 2007, the government is trying to comply with the budget and to prepare a Notification about vaccination charge and the vaccination cost repayment process for the project.