NaCOVERC expended Le283 billion for first half of 2021
Sierra Leone, Freetown: The unaudited financial report on NaCOVERC’S Activities (April – June 2021) published by the Ministry of Finance showed that they expended Le 238 billion (Le283,649,045,046) during the period.
During the first and second quarter they spent Le128 billion (128,678,123,860) and Le154 billion (Le154,970,921,185) respectively on Behavioural Management, Case Management, Operational Coordination, Isolation/Quarantine, Surveillance, Testing, Vaccination and Operational Advances.
According to the report, the budget approved by the Presidential Task Force for the operations of NaCOVERC for the first half of 2021 was Le 420 billion. A total of Le 235 billion was transferred to NaCOVERC for the first half of 2021 (56% of PTF approved budget).
During the second quarter of the FY 2021, the total resource transferred to NaCOVERC amounted to Le 100 billion (29 percent of the budget approved by PTF). It must be noted that even though risk allowances make up 50% of expenses during the period, this amount includes allowances relating to previous periods and not all allowances relating to the period in focus have been paid.
On Operations and Coordination, actual resources disbursed under this category for quarter two amounted to Le 47.48 billion, which accounts for 34% of total expenditure for the period.
This amount includes risk allowances to operation and coordination staff amounting to Le29.5 billion. Other material expenses in this category include, Le4.7 billion on fuel and lubricants and Le3.2 billion on feeding and ration most of which are to security forces engaged in Covid Operations across the country.
Travelling expenses and Administrative Expenses amounted to Le3.7 billion and Le3.1billion Leones respectively.
Disbursement under the Surveillance Pillar for the second quarter was exclusively on risk allowances amounting to Le 14.4 billion.
Testing – Laboratory, total expenses relating to Laboratory Testing for Covid-19 for the second quarter amounted to Le 15.8 billion representing 11% of total expenditure during the period.
This includes payments towards the procurement for Laboratory Reagents, RDT and PCR kits totalling Le 8.6 billion. Risk allowances to staff in this pillar for the period amounted to Le 4.3 billion whilst payments towards the construction of the Laboratory at Lungi amounted to Le 2.4 billion.
Case Management disbursement relating to the Case Management for the period amounts to Le 49.5 billion representing 35% of total Expenditure for the period. Disbursement within this category mostly relates to the construction of the 100 Bed facility at Port Loko amounting to Le 32 Billion, Risk Allowances to Health Staff amounting to Le12 Billion; Medical supplies amounting to Le 5 Billion.
Behavioral Management, expenses relating to this pillar for the period amounted to Le8.7 billion which was mostly spent on allowances totalling Le7.3 billion. The remaining amount mostly relates to community and media engagement including road shows. These exercises were carried out to ensure that the populace is very much aware about the impact of the virus and preventive actions that should be taken.
On Isolation/Quarantine, total payment for quarantine for the reporting period amounted to Le3.7 billion of which, Le2.6 billion was spent on allowances, Le 0.6 billion on feeding of people in quarantine or isolation homes and about Le 0.5 billion was paid for rented homes or hotels to safely accommodate suspected persons with CoVID-19. ZIJ/6/9/2021
By Zainab.joaque@awokonewspaper.sl
