Iraq Ministry of Finance responds to an official's statements about "discriminating" southern governorates

Shafaq News / The Ministry of Finance denounced the statements made by "one of the Ministry of Health officials," regarding the delay in providing financial aid to health institutions.

The Ministry's media office said in a statement, "despite the financial crisis and lack of cash liquidity, the ministry gave the Accounting Department priority in its monthly funds to the Ministry of Health and Environment to secure medicines, medical supplies and operating expenses in Baghdad and all governorates, at a rate of 100%, despite the fact that the 2020 and 2021 budgets were not approved."

The statement added, "the ministry has facilitated the procedures for disbursing grants and donations received by the Ministry of Health from inside and outside Iraq by opening bank accounts in all governorates to confront COVID-19."

"The Ministry sent its staff to the Ministry of Health to assist its cadres to prevent delays in disbursing its funds. All these measures were taken to provide full support to the Ministry of Health and provide it with liquidity."

Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance said that it seeks to secure the Ministry of Health's requirements to overcome this ordeal.

Earlier today, MP Jawad Al-Mousawi of Sairoon coalition threatened to question and withdraw confidence from the Minister of finance for his "discrimination" between the governorates and the Ministry's unfair distribution of Health's operational budget.

Al-Mousawi said in a statement that the Ministry of Finance, "made a big mistake in distributing the operating budget of the Ministry of Health, as it allocated nearly 134 billion dinars to al-Anbar, Saladin and Nineveh governorates, while Karbala, al-Muthanna, Maysan and Dhi Qar governorates were allocated 82 billion dinars only."