New arrangements for the childhood pneumococcal vaccination programme will be implemented at Maternal & Child-health Centres from September 13.

The Department of Health's decision was announced today after children were given the wrong dosage of paracetamol syrup last weekend. Director of Health Dr PY Lam said the vaccination procedure will now be separated from syrup distribution.

Two separate counters will be set up in the centre with more than five vaccination booths to provide paracetamol syrup to children aged below one year and those aged one year and above.

For the centres with five or less vaccination booths, there will be one counter to dispense the syrup. Each counter will be manned by two designated Auxiliary Medical Service members.

Mr Lam said the auxiliary service will continue providing the injections, reiterating its members are professionally trained and qualified to give them.

"One of the members will record the personal details of the child, take the right bottle of syrup, then the other will cross-check before the medicine is handed to the parent," Dr Lam said.

The package of the syrup for children over one year old will remain the same, while that for those under one will be contained in smaller bottles.

Dr Lam apologised to parents and children affected by last weekend's dosage mix-up and said the department will closely monitor the vaccination programme.

A total of 4,525 children received the vaccine last Sunday, with 3,000 parents informed of the mistake. He said 81 children over one year old and 31 under one received the wrong dosage of paracetamol. Six infants under one received a dosage for older children.