Police, MNDF health scheme exceeded 35 percent over budget in 2023: Audit

The Maldivian government exceeded its budget for parallel health schemes operated for security forces which include Maldives Police Service (MPS) and Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) by over 35 percent last year, revealed Auditor General's Report of Review of Budget Position Report 2023 and Mid-Term Budget Review 2023 published on Sunday.

According to the report, the budget allocated for this health scheme, which runs parallel to the universal health insurance scheme of the country, Aasandha, was MVR 179 million.

"However, as of September 2023, the approved budget has been fully utilised. It is anticipated that this expenditure will continue to rise by the end of the year and according to the revised budget, the expenditure by the end of the year will be MVR 241 million (an increment of 35% to the approved budget)," the report reads.

A graph included in the report illustrated a significant increase in expenditure over the past five years, with the exception of 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown measures. However, even in 2020 the budget was exceeded by 8 million.

The graph also showed an upward trend in the amount budgeted for the parallel insurance each year, except for the year 2021.

Graph break down

- 2019 (MVR 66 million budgeted, MVR 148 million spent)

- 2020 (MVR 90 million budgeted, MVR 98 million spent)

- 2021 (MVR 84 million budgeted, MVR 185 million spent)

- 2022 (MVR 134 million budgeted, MVR 239 million spent)

- 2023 (MVR 179 million budgeted, MVR 241 million spent)

According to the report, the expenses of the government towards medial services and other services reaches up to MVR 9.6 billion. This annual increment in subsidy expenditure weighs heavily on the financial system of the country, said the audit report.