Childhood vaccination to be subsidised in CHAS general practitioner clinics

Subsidies will be available in both polyclinics and CHAS clinics by end-2020.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) will extend subsidies of all polyclinic childhood vaccinations under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule (NCIS) to Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) General Practitioner clinics, an announcement revealed.

The move aims to make recommended screenings and immunisations for children more affordable and convenient for parents. Most NCIS vaccinations against diseases with high outbreak potential can only be subsidised in polyclinics.

This will allow vaccinations recommended for personal protection, such as those against pneumococcal disease, to be subsidised at both polyclinics and CHAS general practitioner clinics. Subsidies will be made available before end-2020.

“Take up rates for these vaccines are also much lower, although they offer significant protection against disease,” MOH said in a release.

Childhood developmental screenings will also be extended to CHAS clinics.

Apart from this, MOH has also lifted the age limit of 45 years old for women to undergo assisted reproduction technology (ART) as well as remove the cap on the number of ART cycles for all women. The move will commence on 1 January 2020.

The ministry noted that ART procedures have improved over the years with medical technology advancements, thus reducing the medical risks for women undergoing ART procedures beyond age 45.

In addition, government co-funding will be introduced for the less invasive Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI) procedure to better support fertility treatment prior to ART treatment. From 1 January 2020, eligible couples undergoing IUI procedures at the public assisted reproduction (AR) centres will be able to receive co-funding of up to 75%, capped at $1,000 per treatment cycle, for three cycles of IUI.

The government is currently co-funding for up to six ART cycles, only available for women under 40 years of age. Eligible couples can receive co-funding of up to $7,700 per fresh cycle and $2,200 per frozen cycle, for three fresh cycles and three frozen cycles.