Global Fund is holding a two-day regional meeting in Kigali at Serena Hotel aimed at improving the management of risks related to implementation of programs financed by the Fund.
The meeting is conducted in the realms of finance, procurement and supply chain management, monitoring and evaluation, within an environment that promotes the importance of accountability.
This follows reports about misuse of Global Fund resources in some grants, an aspect that incited debate about corruption in foreign aid and particularly in the Global Fund.
The meeting has attracted participants from west and central Africa, east Africa and Indian Ocean.
Some participants have urged donors to withhold support for the fund till efficient measures are established.
However, others suggested the fund should not be penalized for oversight shortcomings often encountered by many aid programs.
In his opening remarks Samuel Boateng, the Global Fund Acting Unit Director of Africa and Middle East, explained that Rwanda was chosen to host the event due to the prevailing good leadership and the adoption of effectual Global Fund architecture.
Boateng urged participants to recall the resource constrict environment they are working in, and thus come up with better ways of managing available resources and turn the page from Emergency to sustainability.
Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, the Rwandan Minister of Health welcomed participants to Rwanda and requested solidarity in management of Global Fund grants due to the major reason that whenever one mismanages, all are penalized.
She asserted that good leadership, zero tolerance for corruption, legal frameworks for aid management that characterise the government of Rwanda have been key points in the successful management and implementation of Global Fund grants.
Binagwaho invited participants to think of adaptive strategies that can be entirely applied at country level.
The meeting was constituted of workshops, interactive sessions and panel discussions that focused on countries’ perspective of partnership for accountability and risk management.
The sessions were facilitated by Global Fund staff: Linden Morrison, Dr. Akram Ali Eltom, Christa Arent, Charles Ohene-Nyako, Mariatou Tala Jallow, Nathalie Zorzi, who embarked on subjects ranging from Global Fund reform and future directions, strengthening partnership to manage risk and scale up impact, as well as Accountability and risk management.
“One cent mismanaged is one cent less to save lives!” says Dr. Akram Ali Eltom.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria was established in 2002 as a public-private partnership that aimed at providing considerable financial support for global responses to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB), and Malaria.
As of mid-2011, the Global Fund had strived to provide $22.3 billion to help 150 countries fight the three diseases.
The Global Fund Board has cumulatively approved US$ 868,723,003 to support the Government of Rwanda to fund its HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis (TB) programs in addition to strengthening of its health system, since 2003 to June 2011.
63% of the total amount approved was for HIV/AIDS program, 26% for Malaria, 7% for TB, and 4 % for Health system strengthening.
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