Budget Subcommittee passes KRW 965 bln for COVID-19 vaccine

Reviewed MOHW-MFDS-KDCA budget plans to undergo evaluations by Health and Welfare Committee and Budget Evaluation Special Committee

The Budget and Accounting Evaluation Subcommittee of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee has deliberated and decided on the 2021 budget plans for the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).

 

The subcommittee explained the infectious disease control and healthcare budget has been vastly expanded around 965 billion won for seeking COVID-19 vaccine, whereas unnecessary budget was cut boldly.

 

Apparently, the infectious disease control and prevention budget of 965 billion won was newly allocated to get an access to COVID-19 vaccine.

 

Moreover, 9.52 billion won was allocated to establish regional infectious disease specializing hospitals, and 88.14 billion won was increased for the budget to cover the influenza vaccine cost for the National Immunization Program (NIP) and to expand free immunization program for population aged 14 to 18 and 62 to 64.

 

As for the healthcare sector, improving publicness of regional center hospital added the budget of 110.3 billion won.

 

The subcommittee also put 18.8 billion won on top of the budget for mental health management and suicide prevention due to COVID-19 related depression and for creating a culture of respective human lives.

 

Also the committee increased the government financial aid funding up to 209.2 billion won to lessen the National Health Insurance (NHI) premium in vulnerable community directly impacted by COVID-19.

 

As for food and drug safety management, the budget of 1.77 billion won was additionally reflected to eradicate illegal online distribution of food and drugs, while 6.43 billion won was reflected to expand and enhance Children’s Meal Service Management Center to support small-scale kitchen for children’s meal service.

 

The clinical trial safety standard reinforcing project and clinical trial management system to promote development of new drug including COVID-19 treatment received the budget of 5.32 billion won.

 

Meanwhile, the Budget Evaluation Subcommittee significantly revised the KDCA budget, as an independent agency budget, because it was initially submitted to the National Assembly as a part of MOHW.

 

The original budget plan under the MOHW approval allocated 36.10 billion won in 33 tax revenue programs and 341.86 billion won in 65 tax expenditure programs.

 

But the plan was revisited and amended for the independent government institute of KDCA.

 

Basically, the subcommittee provided a solid financial foundation for KDCA to execute infectious disease control and prevention as a standalone central administration agency.

 

The Health and Welfare Committee is to convene a general meeting and to deliberate the budget plans passed by the subcommittee at 5 PM on the same day.

 

The Budget and Accounting Evaluation Special Committee would then comprehensively assess the budget plans.

 

The budget review procedure would be completed after the National Assembly plenary session passes the finalized plan.