This article estimates the number and costs of immunization for infants and children in the Republic of Korea for years 1997, 1998, and 1999. Infants and children in Korea are vaccinated in BCG, TOPV, Hepatitis-B, MMR, and DtaP as a basic immunization program without charge in Public Health Centers or with charge in private physician offices or hospitals. About 97% of infants and children are estimated to be vaccinated. While 060% of them are vaccinated in physician offices of hospitals, the rest are vaccinated in Public Health Centers.
In 1999 direct costs of immunization for infants and children are estimated 90 billion wons (about 85 million dollars). In PHCs about 23 billion wons were expended while in physician offices and hospitals about 67 billion wons were expended.
This article assesses necessary budgetary money to transfer infants and children vaccinations in private health care center to PHCs. Necessary budget is estimated 102 billion wons if the government pay the expense as in private physician offices per vaccination and estimated 107 billion wons if the government pays the expense as in National Health Insurance fee schedule per vaccination in the year 2000.
This article insists that current national immunization system for infants and children be maintained and the government expansion policy be not supported on the following ground. First, too much budget is required for the government to expand the immunization policy for infants and children compared to current system. Second, the excess engagement by the government will restrict seriously consumer´s choice. Government should help needy infants and children not every children and their parents who can sufficiently pay for their vaccinations.
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