The Commission on Audit (COA) has uncovered  irregularities covering P66 billion given to the Department of Health (DOH) as part of government’s programs to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

State auditors found deficiencies in procurement process, lack of documentation in various contracts, unutilized medical equipment, and unpaid financial assistance claims, and irregularities in the management of the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

“These deficiencies involving public funds aggregating P66,287,336,325.31 [were] mainly caused by non-compliance [with] pertinent laws, rules and regulations and contributed to the challenges encountered and missed opportunities by the DoH during the time of state of calamity/national emergency. It, likewise, [cast] doubt on the regularity and propriety of related transactions,” COA said in the audit report.

“Our continuous audit also disclosed additional deficiencies involving Covid-19 funds in the aggregate amount of P1,036,390,245.26,” it added.

Also, COA said the Health department had unobligated allotments of P11.89 billion as of the end of last year.

The DOH assured that the funds amounting to P66 billion cited in the COA reported are well accounted, and that the issues raised by state auditors have been addressed.

“Rest assured that the funds allotted to the DoH are all spent for the procurement of test kits, PPE (suits), payment of HCWs (health care workers) benefits, salaries of HRH (human resources for health) among others,” DOH Secretary Francisco Duque 3^rd said in a statement.