COVID-19 Response Budget: Health and COVID-19 Response

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has also announced a $40 million top-up for the Health Ministry.

Sayed-Khaiyum says this is for more masks, ventilators, set up fever clinics, fund vital awareness campaigns and also fund emergency COVID-19 plans.

To ensure the medical sector has the specific, technical tools it needs to combat the COVID-19 crisis, the government will introduce a VAT exemption on imports for a vast range of medical supplies and equipment, effective immediately.

Sayed-Khaiyum says they are adding the $40 million to enhance the health system’s capacity to respond to this pandemic on top of the $347.5 million allocated to the health sector in this financial year.