PREPARED BY: Finance
DATE: 2025-05-15
SUBJECT: Ministry of Health One-Time Funding Update
BACKGROUND
On March 25, 2025, the WECHU received the final approvals for one-time funding of specific programs for the period of April 1,2024 to March 31, 2025. There were no one-time programs included in the 2024 budget as public health units were told that there would be no one-time funding available except to facilitate voluntary mergers. During the year the WECHU was asked to provide budgets for the following programs:
- Nuclear Preparedness - Potassium Iodide (KI) Purchase and Distribution
- Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Hub
- Covid -19 Vaccine Program
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Adult and Infant Prevention
- Public Health Inspector Practicum Program (no budget was requested)
This was a particularly challenging year as we were not informed of the availability of one-time funding until the late spring of 2024 or later making it difficult to maximize the funding. In addition, one-time funding amounts are based on April 1,2024 to March 31, 2025 which straddle two fiscal years. Programs need to be then initiated with no certainty on the ultimate approvals. Despite these challenges, the WECHU did ensure the programs operated with the greatest degree of efficiency and effectiveness. A summary of the approvals and actual expenditures by program:
| Program | MOH Approved | Actual Program Expenditures | $ Variance | % Variance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPAC Hub | 630 | 583 | 47 | 7% |
| KI Pills | 500 | 395 | 105 | 21% |
| Practicum | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0% |
| COVID-19 | 692 | 319 | 373 | 54% |
| RSV | 372 | 302 | 70 | 19% |
| Total | $2,224 | $1,629 | $595 | 27% |
Funding will be provided based on actual expenditures not on the amount approved. The audited financial statements for 2024 will include one-time program actual expenses for April 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. The actual program expenditures for the period January 1, 2025 to March 31, 2025 will be included in the 2025 WECHU audited financial statements.