The Health Ministry in its commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of Malaysians will focus on pneumococcal vaccination for children and the smoking ban at eateries this year.

Its minister, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the pneumococcal vaccination, carried out beginning this year under the National Children Immunisation Programme, targeted children born from Jan 1, 2020.

Under the programme, he said, each child will be given three doses of conjugate pneumococcal vaccine.

“Preparations are being made by the ministry, including procuring the vaccine, preparing logistics and providing health education materials and training for health personnel," he said in his New Year message recently.

On the smoking ban at public eateries, Dzulkefly said the ministry is firm in enforcing the ruling to ensure the premises are safe, especially for children, pregnant women and the elderly.

Citing statistics, he said, seven out of 10 adults who frequented public eateries could be exposed to second-hand smoke and this could result in more than 890,000 premature deaths a year.

The smoking ban at public eateries came into force on Jan 1 with offenders facing a maximum compound fine of RM350.

With the enforcement of the smoking ban, all public eateries have been gazetted as a no-smoking area under the Control of Tobacco Products (Amendment) Regulations 2018 of the Food Act 1983.

Dzulkefly said the ministry will continue to enhance the delivery of health services with a more serious involvement from private general practitioners and clinics.

- Bernama