IPOH, Jan 3 ― The  government will introduce pneumococcal vaccinations for children starting from June, says Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye.

However, Dr Lee said that only those born in 2020 onwards are entitled to the free vaccinations.

"The government has allocated RM60 million for the vaccination programme and we are still in the midst of acquiring the vaccination.

"We will distribute the vaccination to all (government) clinics once we have acquired the vaccination and the vaccination programme is expected to start in June,” he told a press conference after visiting the Gunung Rapat Health Clinic here.

Dr Lee said this was not free for those born before 2020 as there were insufficient funds.

Last October, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, when tabling the Supply Bill (Budget) 2020 in Parliament announced the initial allocation of RM60 million to provide pneumococcal vaccination for all children.

Pneumococcal diseases are infections caused by a bacterium called Streptococcus pneumoniae that affects adults and children alike but are more common in younger children and the elderly.

Examples of pneumococcal diseases include pneumonia, meningitis, febrile bacteraemia, otitis media, sinusitis and bronchitis.

According to the Health Ministry, pneumococcal diseases are one of the most widespread vaccinable diseases in Malaysia.

Separately, Dr Lee also said the poliomyelitis or polio case in Sabah, which returned to Malaysia after 27 years, is not a major problem as the vaccination rate was over 95 per cent for locals.

"The problem is on undocumented children and the non-citizen who are not vaccinated,” he said.