Babies born from Jan 1 this year onward will be eligible for free pneumococcal vaccinations from June, said Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye. 

He said the Health Ministry was in the process of procuring the medicine to be distributed to all clinics and hospitals before implementing the vaccination exercise.

“RM60 million has been allocated for this pneumococcal vaccination programme which we expect to be implemented by June, and every baby born from Jan 1 this year is eligible.

“Babies born before that date are not included in the budget so we cannot give the vaccination (free of charge),” he said.

Lee was speaking to reporters after a health programme at the Gunung Rapat Health Clinic in Ipoh today to help patients with lung complications such as asthma.

When tabling Budget 2020 on Oct 11 last year, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng announced that the government would allocate RM30.6 billion to the Health Ministry, of which RM60 million would be given as a start to provide pneumococcal vaccination to children.

In a separate development, Lee said a total of 393 summon notices were issued by 2,026 enforcers throughout the country yesterday, the second day of the smoking ban in eateries.

He said the summons were issued to 278 smokers who smoked at the premises, 88 to premise owners who failed to display notices of the smoking ban, while 14 summonses were issued to premise owners who failed to display notice of the ban and failed to ensure the public did not smoke on their premises.

For the offence of not displaying a notice of the smoking ban, and smoking in prohibited areas, including eating areas, the fine is RM250.

Checks conducted on the second day on 1,094 food premises in Perak also resulted in summonses issued to six underage children who smoked or possessed tobacco products.

On a separate development, Lee said a total of 42 summonses were issued in Perak on the first day of the smoking ban in eateries.

He said of the 612 eateries which were inspected on Jan 1, summonses were issued to 26 people who were smoking in the eateries, 10 for food premises which did not put up the smoking ban, and six more for underaged children who smoked or possessed tobacco products. 

“The summonses issued to children below the age of 18 must be paid by their parents who are advised to be responsible for their children,” he said.

Lee said members of the public who want to quit smoking can get help in the form of medication and specialist treatment at health clinics for RM1.

“Since 2012, 18,600 smokers have quit smoking through initiative,” he said. 

- Bernama