Maldives to procure COVID-19 vaccines from India

Maldivian government has announced the decision to procure COVID-19 vaccines from Serum Institute of India LTD and Serum Institute of Life Sciences PVT LTD.

Following the decision, Finance Ministry released a ‘public finance declaration’ signed by Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer on Thursday, announcing the temporary suspension of some of the provisions of the Public Finance Regulation.

The declaration states that government authorities find it crucial to sign an agreement with Serum Institute of India and Serum Institute of Life Sciences to procure vaccines, citing COVID-19 vaccines are in high demand due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, is available for procurement only from specific parties, and released globally in accordance with specific procurement policies.

Finance Minister Ameer, under the powers vested in him under Public Finance Regulation, has therefore decided to temporarily suspend some of the provisions of the Public Finance Regulation, reads the declaration.

The provisions which will be temporarily suspended are the ones pertaining to bidding process, award of contracts, 15 percent advance payment, and compensation for delay in contracted work.

According to the declaration, the provisions will only be suspended with respect to the agreement which will be signed with Serum Institute of India and Serum Institute of Life Sciences for the procurement of the vaccine, and for the duration of the agreement.

The declaration also states that the Finance Ministry will be conducting an internal audit on spending under the agreement, and ordered for the finance executive at Health Ministry to pay special attention to the spending.

Authorization to procure vaccines from India comes after Maldives signed an agreement to procure 700,000 vaccine doses from AstraZeneca Singapore PTE LTD in December last year.