By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
The government is struggling to secure vaccines for the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak that has already killed two people here.
The Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs is planning to secure 13 million doses this year ― covering 27 percent of the population ― at a cost of 193 billion won ($130 million). It said the vaccine would be first given to the military, elderly people, the young and medical staff, making it difficult to provide sufficient doses to ordinary citizens.
Local pharmaceutical company Green Cross is expected to produce a maximum of 5 million doses by the end of the year at the earliest and the government will make up for the shortage with imported ones.
However, soaring prices of the vaccine due to growing demand are expected to hamper the government's plan. According to Rep. Yoo Jae-jung of the main opposition Democratic Party, multinational drug makers have refused to sell their products on expectations of further hikes in prices.
The health authorities are expected to pay more for the purchase of sufficient vaccines. The United States and several other countries are also moving to secure more vaccines before autumn when the new school semester starts.
``The government will have to either reduce the number of vaccinated people or pay more for an adequate number of doses,'' Yoo said.
Some point out that the storage of antiviral drugs to fight the virus after infection isn't enough either. Korea has managed to secure about 5.3 million doses of Tamiflu and Relenza, but they are far less than the World Health Organization recommendation of 20-percent of the population ― more than 10 million for South Koreans.
``Doctors have constantly requested securing more antiviral drugs,'' Park Seung-chul, a professor at Samsung Medical Center and advisor to the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, said, blaming the government's short-sightedness.
Meanwhile, clinics were jammed with people rushing to take the influenza test, Tuesday. They expressed anxiety over the deaths of two people and the possibility of mass infection.
``I thought not having close contact with those who have been abroad would keep me safe from the disease. But according to news reports, anyone could be infected with the virus without a cause. I am scared,'' a woman who refused to be identified said.
She said she was suffered when the doctors and public health care center staff did not take her seriously. ``When I called up the center, they said unless I have a fever over 37.6 degrees Celsius, I wouldn't have to worry about the infection. But they cannot take away my anxiety. It is quite frustrating to worry about it all day long without professional help,'' she added.
Health authorities confirmed 47 more cases of influenza A on Tuesday, raising the total number of flu infections in the country to 2,212 since the disease was first reported here in early May. Two people died over the weekend from complications apparently caused by the flu virus.