The government’s expenditure towards Covid-19 response efforts has reached MVR 3,144.5 million.

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 1,535.7 million by, March 11 whereas the total economic response expenditure reached MVR 1,608.8 million by then.

According to the ministry, the total expenses made towards health and social efforts within the review period was an increase of 2.2 percent in comparison to the previous week, whereas economic response within the review period also increased by 2.8 percent.

Out of the total health and social efforts expenses, 41.3 percent was committed spending and the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) was observed to have registered the highest spending in terms of week-on-week spending.

As such MNDF made a contribution of MVR 24 million during the week, a majority of which was for employee allowances.

The ministry revealed that the Ministry of Health also spent MVR 6.7 million within the review period, for service provision.

Out of the MVR 67.5 million MNDF has spent so far on health and social response efforts since it began, MVR 15.9 million was for supplies and requisites, MVR 500,000 was for capital equipment, MVR 48.5 million for employee wages as well as MVR 2.7 million for repairs and maintenance.

Further, the ministry made an additional disbursement of MVR 17.5 million to be disbursed as Income Support Allowances and MVR 26 million on discounts for water bills, over the one-week period as part of the economic response efforts.

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 258.7 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.

The second highest expenditure was registered by the Ministry of Health, which has spent 380.3 million out of which 211.5 million was for supplies and requisites for service provision and 80.5 million for capital equipment.

Overall, Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) spent MVR 95.1 million by March 11, out of which MVR 4.9 million was for capital equipment, MVR 6.3 million for supplies and requisites as well as MVR 75.9 million for supplies and requisites for service provision.

Throughout the response efforts, the Maldives Police Service (MPS) has spent a total of MVR 31.1 million thus far, and the National Social Protection Agency has contributed MVR 11.6 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.

Other contributors include the Ministry of Higher Education having spent MVR 3.3 million, the National Drug Agency having spent MVR 1.2 million, the Ministry of Tourism with MVR 28.7 million in expenses, the Gender Ministry at 4.1 million in expenses. The Foreign Ministry also spent 6.8 million, and the Maldives Immigration, MVR 900,000.

Government institutions have thus far spent a total of MVR 557.2 million for supplies and requisites to provide services, MVR 201.2 million for capital equipment as well as MVR 187.5 million for operational services.