THE Department of Health (DOH) said it has spent a total of P8.24 billion for efforts to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

As of December 31, 2020, DOH said it has spent P4.36 billion of the P4.49 billion provided under Bayanihan 1 and P3.88 billion of the P4.5 billion provided under Bayanihan 2.

The P4.36 billion under Bayanihan 1 was used to procure medical equipment, such as mechanical ventilators, biological safety cabinets, laminar flow hoods, and biomedical microcentrifuges, among others.

The P3.88 billion under Bayanihan 2 was used for the construction of temporary medical isolation and quarantine facilities, field hospitals, dormitories for frontliners and expansion of government hospitals.

Of the remaining P617 million under Bayanihan 2, P308 million was spent on mechanical ventilators, portable x-ray machines, hemodialysis machines, high flow nasal cannula oxygen machines, and other equipment necessary for increasing laboratories’ testing capacities.

"Every centavo of the funds, as well as all other public funds provided to the Department are all accounted for and are available for the public to access and examine upon request," said the DOH.

"The DOH is likewise ready to provide the full expenditure reports to the offices of the lawmakers requesting for the said data," it added. (HDT / SunStar Philippines)