Government expenditure for COVID-19 at MVR 560 million

National Emergency Operations Center has announced that the government has spent MVR 560 million on COVID-19 expenditures.

In a press conference underway tonight, NEOC spokesperson Mabrouq Azeez provided the details of government expenditure regarding the efforts to contain the spread of the virus, which has now confirmed 214 cases in the Maldives.

Former President and current Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has also stated that the government had spent MVR 595 on quarantine facilities earlier today.

NEOC spokesperson Mabrouq stated that the government had spent MVR 560 due to the virus in total, including expenditures of various state institutions. This includes MVR 386 million spent by Health Ministry and National Disaster Management Authority for PPE, medical equipment, testing equipment, reagents, medical supply including consumables, accounting for the entire operations of the National Emergency Operations Center.

MVR 84 million was sourced from the Disaster Trust Fund to ensure a supply of staple food items in the country for the next ten months by STO. The money is to be repaid by STO to the fund after the sale of these items.

Mabrouq also stated that MVR 36 million was spent on the 300-bed strong medical facility being built in Hulhumale’. The total figure for the facility is lower than the previously estimated MVR 40 million to be spent for the facility and includes construction costs and equipment as well.

The isolation facility in Farukolhufushi set the government back by MVR 5.9 million, which later increased to MVR 7.3 million in total due to renovation works.

MVR 27 million was also spent on establishing ICU facilities in five different regions of the country. Foreign Ministry also spent MVR 6.3 million to evacuate locals abroad including medical professionals and students.

The MVR 11 million in funds for the quarantine facility was sourced from the Tourism Trust Fund, according to Mabrouq. For the Velidhoo facility, MVR 469,000 was spent in total, while the Vilivaru facility set the government back by MVR 6.6 million. The Velidhoo facility was previously a resort that limited the work of the government for the operation, while the Vilivaru facility had to be constructed by the government, said Mabrouq.

A total of 2715 people had been accommodated at these facilities by the government at a rate of MVR 750 per day for the rooms used.

The parliament today passed a bill that will fund government operations without interruptions. The bill will provide MVR 4.4 billion to the government through the Central Bank MMA. Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer has previously estimated that MVR 1.4 billion would be needed by the government to continue its operations for the next three months.