Government has expended a total of ¢2.65 billion on Covid-19 related expenditures from January to September 2021.

According to data from the 2022 budget read by the Finance Minister in Parliament on Wednesday, Covid-19 related expenditures in seven months (January-September) totalled ¢2.65 billion in 2021.

In 2021, a sum of ¢4.5 billion was allocated to Covid-19 related expenses and later revised to ¢4.6 billion. Available data from the 2022 budget shows government has expended an amount of ¢2.65 billion in seven months (January-September), leaving a balance of ¢1.95 billion.

With less than two months to end the year, the total amount spent on Covid-19 represents over 57 per cent of the total budgetary allocation.

The expenditure items spanned from providing free water and electricity for lifeline consumers to the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines.