KUALA LUMPUR: Some RM2.8bil of the RM5bil allocated for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme has been spent by the Federal Government as of August, says Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.

       The Science, Technology and Innovation Minister told the Dewan Rakyat that the bulk of the spending, RM2.6bil or 92%, was used for the purchase and logistics of Covid-19 vaccines.

       “A further RM210mil was allocated for the outsourcing of the programme to private medical practitioners, while the cost of the Health Ministry’s National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme assets amounted to RM19mil.

       “Consumables came up to RM11mil while vaccine education materials, including vaccination cards and permission forms, cost RM1.9mil.

       “The cost of managing the implementation of Covid-19 vaccination amounted to RM1.3mil, while post-immunisation surveillance and upgrading the Health Ministry’s system cost RM443,000,” he said in reply to a supplementary question from Yeo Bee Yin (PH-Bakri) during Question Time in Parliament on Thursday (Sept 30).

       Yeo had asked the ministry to reveal the total amount spent under the programme from the total RM5bil allocation.

       Dr Adham said the rest of the allocation had yet to be utilised but the immunisation programme was still ongoing.