The government spent more than €6.8 million on equipment and services related to COVID-19 between July and December last year, with costs for swabbing and testing kits ballooning as infections increased.
The contract with the heftiest price tag – more than €2.2 million – saw the government purchasing an undisclosed number of rapid test kits at the end of the November. This contract was awarded to E.J. Busuttil Ltd.
The government also forked out nearly €1.2 million for the leasing of beds for patients to be kept in isolation at St Thomas Hospital.
Details of the contracts awarded by the government – both through direct order and the so-called negotiated procedure – were published in the Government Gazette this week. A negotiated procedure allows the government to consult the economic operators of its choice and negotiate the terms of a contract with one or more of them.