Nghe An: Tightening management of vaccination service prices

Every day, hundreds of people bring their children to the vaccination room of the Provincial Center for Preventive Medicine to get the "6 in 1" vaccine service. Photo: Thanh Chung

On February 13, 2019, Nghe An Department of Health issued Official Dispatch No. 360/SYT-TTR on vaccination services to public and non-public medical units in Nghe An province.

The document clearly states: Currently, the demand for vaccination services outside the expanded immunization program of the people is increasing. However, the price and service fees of vaccination services of public and non-public units are not consistent. Some units charge too high.

The Director of the Department of Health requires units that provide vaccination services to comply with vaccination regulations according to Decree No. 104/2016/ND-CP of the Government on vaccination activities and Circular No. 34/2018/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health on detailed instructions for a number of articles of Decree 104.

Units shall establish prices for service vaccinations in accordance with Article 13, Decree No. 104; Circular No. 240/2016/TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance regulating maximum prices for medical quarantine and preventive medicine services at public facilities and other relevant regulations... Publicly disclose prices for each service vaccination so that people know and choose.

Units must submit the price list of service vaccination, the facility and the method of calculating the service vaccination fee of the unit for one vaccination injection to the Department of Health before March 15, 2019. Any unit reporting after the deadline will be handled by the Department of Health according to regulations.

In addition, units need to report the vaccination service situation at the facility according to regulations, and send it to the focal point, the Provincial Center for Preventive Medicine.

The situation of inconsistent vaccine service fees and prices of public and non-public units in recent times has been reflected by Nghe An Newspaper through the article "Scarcity and chaos in prices of 6-in-1 vaccines" published on January 17, 2019. With Official Dispatch No. 360/SYT-TTR, Nghe An Health Sector is determined to control and curb the situation of chaos in vaccine service prices that has been happening...

Content of the dispatch of Nghe An Department of Health. Photo: Thanh Chung

Article 13, Decree No. 104/2016/ND-CP of the Government stipulates:

1. Vaccination service prices are calculated based on the following factors: Vaccine purchase price; Vaccine transportation and storage costs; Vaccination service costs.

2. Vaccination service costs are calculated based on each type of vaccine, number of injections or oral doses, and are calculated correctly and fully for the following direct and indirect cost factors: Fees for screening examination, consultation, injection, and post-vaccination monitoring; Costs for consumables; Costs for electricity, water, fuel, medical waste treatment, and environmental sanitation directly related to the implementation of vaccination services; Depreciation of fixed assets; Interest payments on loans under loan contracts, mobilization for investment, and purchase of equipment for vaccination services (if any) are calculated and allocated to the cost of services using this capital source; Costs of indirect departments, and other legal costs to ensure the operation of vaccination facilities.

3. Not included in the price of vaccination services in the Expanded Immunization Program and epidemic vaccination for expenses that have been guaranteed by the state budget.

4. The Minister of Health shall specify the prices of vaccination services in the Expanded Immunization Program and epidemic vaccination.