$10.5 Billion Provided For COVID-19-Related Spending
By: , March 11, 2021
Photo: Adrian Walker
Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke opens the 2021/22 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on March 9.The Full Story
The Government has allocated $10.5 billion to the Ministry of Health and Wellness for special expenses related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
This includes $6 billion for the procurement, storage, distribution and administration of vaccines; $1 billion for personal protective equipment (PPE); $1 billion for drugs and reagents; $2 billion for the Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) to pay arrears to suppliers; and $500 million for other COVID-19-related expenditure.
This was disclosed by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, as he opened the 2021/22 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on March 9.
The funding is provided for under the $60-billion Social and Economic Recovery and Vaccine (SERVE) Programme for Jamaica.
“We have put the funding aside, under the SERVE Jamaica Programme, to make the attainment of herd immunity in a single fiscal year fiscally feasible,” Dr. Clarke said.
The funds will be transferred in the first week of April.