THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) has clarified to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) a sum of SBD 2.8 million that appeared as one of the Variation Heads in the 2024 Supplementary Appropriated Bill 2024.
This was during the meeting of the inquiry into the 2024 Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2024 on Thursday.
According to the MHMS Permanent Secretary (PS), Pauline McNiel, Cabinet approved the allocation of SBD 18 million to the ministry for drugs and dressings.
When it came down to the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) and the Medical Psychotherapy Association Canada (MDPA) the ministry was only given SBD 15 million, while SBD 3 million was given to other budget pressures.
Again, from the SBD 15 million, the ministry was asked to give away SBD 2.8 million towards other development budgets of the government.
One of the questions raised by the PAC was whether the ministry was consulted to release the SBD 2.8 million.
PS McNiel said the ministry was not consulted on the process of the supplementary but was asked to work on a submission for additional supplementary on its drugs and dressings. This was after the ministry met with the Budget Coordinating Committee under MDPAC to look at the ministry’s budget pressure of the SBD 18 million.
When PS McNiel was asked again where the reduction of SBD 2.8 million came from and what would happen to the programs where the money came from, she said SBD 1million came from the Kilu’ufi Hospital second level medical stores, SBD 800-00 from the Malu’u Hospital second level medical stores and SBD1 million from National Referral Hospital (NRH) upgrades.
She added that the ministry gave these up because the tender process was yet to start at that time and hence, they would not have any impact on those activities.
The SBD 15 million was never appropriated in the bill except for the SBD 7.5 million that is in the supplementary.
When asked by PAC Chairman, Lilo if the ministry was aware of this, PS McNiel said the supplementary is through Advance Warrant of SBD 7.5 million and that’s the budget support from the ministry’s donor partners.
PS McNiel added that initially, the ministry wanted to reallocate it for the Mental Health Acute Unit but there were some issues around the contract and because of the urgency of the X-ray building at Helena Goldie Hospital in Gizo, Western Province, it was reallocated for that building.
The SBD 18 million request to the Cabinet and was granted is an estimated amount needed for drugs and dressings for the rest of the year. Unfortunately, only SBD 15 million was given and out of that SBD 15 million, SBD 3 million was given for other development budgets.
When asked by PAC why they had to give away SBD 3 million, PS McNiel said the ministry had budget pressures in that space and so it would have to look for additional support.
By AGNES MENANOPO
Solomon Star, Honiara
