The government has spent a total of MVR 1,147.5 million for Covid-19 response efforts in the health and social sector.

According to the latest figures of the Covid-19 weekly expenses publicized by the Ministry of Finance on Monday, the total amount spent in the health and social sectors by August 20, sits at MVR 1,147.5 million which is a 0.6 percent increase in comparison to the previous week.

51.5 percent of the total expenditure in both sectors was committed spending and the past week saw a significant contribution from Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), in comparison to other top contributing frontline agencies.

As such, IGMH spent a total of MVR 5.9 million out of which a majority was spent to procure medical consumables such as N95 masks. In total, the hospital spent MVR 69.3 million as committed spending out of which MVR 62.7 million was for supplies and requisites for service provision.

As of August 20, IGMH, the Ministry of Health and the National Disaster Management Authority remained the top contributors, having covered 91.4 percent of the total expenditure in health and social Covid-19 response efforts.

Since the Covid-19 recovery efforts began, NDMA has spent a total of MVR 809.7 million out of which 363.4 million was to acquire supplies and requisites for service provision, MVR 112,5 million for capital equipment as well as MVR 103.2 million for operational services.

Second comes the Ministry of Health having contributed a total of MVR 169.5 million out of which MVR 79.5 million was for supplies and requisites for service provision and MVR 77.6 million was for capital equipment.

The Health Ministry is followed by the Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, having spent a total of MVR 37.3 million out of which a majority, MVR 36.9 million was for land and buildings.

Further, the Ministry of Tourism also contributed significantly out of its tourism activities implementation fund; MVR 28.2 million.

Latest statistics released by the Finance Ministry also notes that the total disbursements made under the Economic Relief Package by August 20, stands at MVR 955.7 million which is an 11.7 percent increase in comparison to the previous week.

By then, the government had also disbursed MVR 43.7 million as Income Support, MVR 900 million as Covid-19 recovery loans as well as MVR 12 million in discounts for electricity bills. The income support funds were disbursed to a total of 10,522 individuals.

Under the recovery loan scheme, the country’s national bank, Bank of Maldives (BML) disbursed MVR 502.7 million to 346 individuals and the SME Development and Finance Corporation (SDFC) disbursed a total of MVR 222.9 million t 1,479 individuals.