The Parliament Committee on Member’s Privileges and Ethics, on Tuesday, announced its decision to summon Minister of Health Abdulla Ameen for questioning over the alleged fraudulent procurement of 149 ventilators.
According to the legislative body, the minister was scheduled to present himself for the committee on Tuesday but was later postponed for an undisclosed date.
A joint investigation was launched by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with Maldives Police Service in August, after the the Auditor General's Office published a compliance audit on the Ministry of Health's COVID-19 expenditure, revealing that the ministry had spent over MVR 30 million in violation of the Public Finance Act.
The minister, along with some senior officials of the ministry and bid committee, was initially summoned to a meeting with the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee, during which he touted the audit report as "biased", raising concerns that it was "glossing over most details".
At the sit-down, the minister and other staff maintained that they had operated in line with the Public Finance Act and relevant procedures to procure the ventilators, asserting that nothing was done to facilitate corruption or illicit enrichment for any entities.
As part of the government's COVID-19 response efforts, the health ministry had signed agreements with Naadu Pvt Ltd to procure 24 ventilators and MedTech Maldives Pvt Ltd to secure 50 ventilators, in addition to the 75 ventilators from Dubai-based Executors General Trading LLC.
Per the audit, the health ministry's negotiations with Executors were rife with corruption, including false claims that the order was placed following a recommendation by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The state has already paid MVR 30.9 million for the 75 ventilators, covering 90 percent of the total cost of MVR 34 million.
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