Un informe de la oficina del Inspector General (OIG) reporta fraude y desvío de fondos en subvenciones del Fondo Mundial a la República de Guinea.
El informe completo puede consultarse aquí y los temas de conversación (“talking points”), aquí. A continuación, un resumen en inglés de las principales conclusiones de la OIG.
OIG Investigators found misappropriation and fraud amounting to US$416,183 by 22 sub-recipients of a Global Fund HIV/AIDS grant in the Republic of Guinea between 2008 and 2010. The grant financed programs which aimed to improve HIV/AIDS prevention in high-risk groups and enhance the quality of care for people living with the disease. The Global Fund is taking action to recover the funds and has put in place stronger controls to prevent future wrongdoing in the country.
The OIG is calling for US$416,183 to be recovered as a result of the following evidence: investigators found that the Ministry of Health sub-recipient, the Programme National de Prise en Charge Sanitaire et de Prévention (PNPCSP), disbursed US$26,023 to fictitious companies and US$60,953 to recipient companies who did not use them for grant activities. PNPCSP could not show supporting documents to the OIG for further disbursements to a supplier worth US$250,852. Investigators also found fictitious invoices amounting to US$78,355 submitted by nine other sub-recipients to justify fake expenditures, sometimes involving PNPCSP.
The OIG concluded that fraud and the diversion of grant funds was pervasive across the grant’s administration by PNPCSP at the sub-sub-recipient level due to the lack of a sufficient system of internal controls and oversight by the Principal Recipient, the Ministry of Health. Widespread political turmoil and violence in Guinea during the period under investigation also hampered efforts by the Local Fund Agent to validate the sub-sub-recipients’ program activities as would normally be the case.
In response to the OIG’s findings, the Global Fund Secretariat implemented measures to mitigate risks of funds misuse including a complete restructuring of the grant portfolio in 2012. The Secretariat also recruited an international fiscal agent and implemented a “zero cash” policy. The fiscal agent observes all procurements for non-health products, verifies and co-signs on all payments and ensures a transparent process in the recruitment of staff engaged for Global Fund grant work.
To date, the Global Fund has disbursed US$93.5 million grants to the Republic of Guinea. There are 11,000 people currently on antiretroviral therapy for AIDS, 13,400 people have been tested and treated for tuberculosis and 4.5 million mosquito nets have been distributed to protect from malaria.
