Covid-19 health, social response expenditure sees decline within a week

The government’s expenditure towards health and social efforts against the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic saw a decline from February 25 – March 4.

Latest statistics publicized by the Ministry of Finance reveal that the total Covid-19 expenditure related to the health and social sectors sat at MVR 1,502.8 million which is a 0.1 percent decrease.

During the review period, the total economic response expenditure reached MVR 1,565.3 million, which is a 1.3 percent increase from the week before.

The decrease in social and health response expenses was caused due to a cancellation of purchase orders by the Ministry of Health, revealed the Finance Ministry.

40.2 percent of the total health and social spending was committed spending during the review period and Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) contributed the highest amount in comparison to its peers, having registered MVR 1.6 million in expenses, a majority of which was on capital equipment and operational services.

Overall, Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) spent MVR 74.1 million for supplies and requisites for service provision, MVR 93.3 million by March 4, out of which MVR 4.9 million was for capital equipment, MVR 6.3 million for supplies and requisites as well as MVR 7.3 million for operational services.

Out of the MVR 373.6 million the Ministry of Health has spent so far on health and social response efforts since it began, MVR 205.3 million was for supplies and requisites for service provision, MVR 80.3 million was for capital equipment, MVR 54.6 million for operational services as well as MVR 8.2 million for travel expenses.

Since the health and social recovery efforts began, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has registered a total of MVR 867.9 million out of which MVR 362.7 million was for supplies and requisites for service provision, MVR 112.5 million for capital equipment, MVR 114 million for operational services as well as MVR 63.8 million for supplies and requisites.

Throughout the response efforts, the Maldives Police Service (MPS) has spent a total of MVR 31 million thus far, and the National Social Protection Agency has contributed MVR 11.3 million as 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 and MVR 43.5 million from the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF).

Other contributors include the Ministry of Higher Education having spent MVR 3.3 million, the National Drug Agency having spent MVR 1.2 million and the Ministry of Tourism with MVR 28.7 million in expenses. The Foreign Ministry also spent 6.8 million, and the Maldives Immigration, MVR 900,000.

By March 4, the Gender Ministry spent a total of MVR four million in expenses.

Government institutions have thus far spent a total of MVR 653.2 million for supplies and requisites to provide services, MVR 201 million for capital equipment as well as MVR 187.2 million for operational services.

Further, the finance ministry made an additional disbursement of MVR 20.1 million to be disbursed as Income Support Allowances over the one-week period as part of the economic response efforts.