By the end of 2020, the government’s expenditure towards Covid-19 response efforts reached MVR 2.9 billion.

Latest statistics publicized by the Ministry of Finance reveal that total Covid-19 expenditure related to the health and social sectors sat at MVR 1,395.8 million by, December 31.

This, according to the ministry, is a 1.6 percent increase from the previous week during which 41.9 percent of the total health and social spending was committed spending.

During the review period, the Ministry of Health spent the highest amount, at MVR 18.8 million out of which a majority of expenses was for operation services, supplies and requisites for service provision and travel expenses. Since the response efforts began, the ministry has spent a total of MVR 273.4 million, out of which MVR 115.5 million was for supplies and requisites for service provision, MVR 80.1 million was for capital equipment, MVR 53.3 million for operational services as well as MVR 11.0 million for travel expenses..

Maldives Police Service (MPS) has spent a total of MVR 31.3 million thus far, out of which MVR 27.4 million has been dedicated to employee wages.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has registered a total of MVR 868 million since response efforts began, out of which MVR 362.8 million was for supplies and requisites for service provision, MVR 112.5 million for capital equipment, MVR 114.1 million for operational services as well as MVR 63.8 million for supplies and requisites.

Overall, Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) spent MVR 88.4 million by December 31, out of which MVR 4.4 million was for capital equipment, MVR five million for supplies and requisites as well as MVR 5.8 million for operational services.

Throughout the response efforts the National Social Protection Agency contributed MVR 10.5 million for grants contributions and subsidies.

MVR 37.3 million out of the total health and social expenses was from the Ministry of National Planning and Infrastructure out of which MVR 36.9 million was for land and buildings. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also spent MVR 6.8 million for grants, contributions and subsidies.

Government institutions have thus far spent a total of MVR 561.6 million for supplies and requisites to provide services, MVR 200 million for capital equipment as well as MVR 184.4 million for operational services.

Further, the total disbursements made under the Covid-19 Economic Response scheme sat MVR 1,492.4 million by then. This, the ministry said, is a 1.9 percent increase from the week prior.

Over the week, MVR 27.4 million was disbursed as discounts on electricity bills. There were no additional disbursements under any other economic response schemes during the review period.