The proposed state budget for 2022 has allocated MVR 4.6 for the provision and expansion of healthcare services.
The Finance Ministry said that from this budget, MVR 3.7 billion is allocated for hospital services while MVR 603 million is allocated for general health services.
In a further breakdown, the Ministry said that out of the total budget set for the health sector, MVR 2.25 billion is expected to be spent on the salaries of health care professionals as the sector is one of the most heavily employed sectors in the country.
Another recurrent cost for the healthcare sector is highlighted as the cost of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry had allocated MVR 323 million for these costs.
The proposed budget has set aside MVR 488 million to develop hospitals and health centers on the island as well as renovation of existing health care facilities.
Meanwhile, the Budget had allocated MVR 60 million to build tertiary hospitals in 4 islands while it is proposed that MVR 53 million would be spent to build the Cancer Hospital in Laamu Gan.
Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer had presented an MVR 36.9 billion budget to the majlis earlier today.
