88% of COVID-19 budget during the state of emergency used
The Ministry of Health and Social Services used 88% of its budget towards the recruitment of additional human resources for health, procurement of medical supplies and equipment, and the construction of isolation facilities as part of the COVID-19 response, Health Minister, Kalumbi Shangula said.
The government allocated an amount of N$727 million to the health ministry during the State of Emergency, which will lapsed on Thursday evening.
Shangula said these investments significantly strengthened the capacities and preparedness to respond to the pandemic.
“During the 6-month period, we exceeded our initial testing target of 25,000 people by more than 200 percent, at the end of State of Emergency. We have to date conducted a cumulative 84,688 first time tests,” he said.
According to Shangula by the end of the State of Emergency, the ministry also quarantined a total of 13,010 people, at a cost to the government, and the quarantine strategy materially mitigated the spread of disease into the communities.
Meanwhile, Shangula said the government will continue to roll out expanded targeted testing and intensification of compliance such as the wearing of face masks in public, social and physical distancing, hand washing, sanitizing, and reduction in the size of public gatherings will continue to be the country’s first line of defense.
