Pakistan

RÉSUMÉ Le Bureau de l’Inspecteur général a enquêté sur trois événements distincts en lien avec la subvention PAK-T-TIH du Fonds mondial, signée en mai 2016. L’enquête a révélé que des conflits d’intérêts non atténués, des pratiques frauduleuses, anticoncurrentielles et collusoires et des irrégularités dans le cadre d’un contrat d’assistance technique à long terme ont entraîné des dépenses non conformes d’un montant de 2 442 335 dollars, dont 1 171 589 dollars assimilés à une perte.

ABSTRACT The Office of the Inspector General investigated three separate events in relation to Global Fund grant, PAK-T-TIH, signed in May 2016. The OIG found that unmitigated conflicts of interest, collusion, fraudulent and anti-competitive practices, and irregularities in a long-term technical assistance agreement, resulted in a total of $2,442,335 of ineligible expenditure, of which $1,171,589 is considered a loss.

RÉSUMÉ Le rapport du BIG concernant l'achat de moustiquaires imprégnées d’insecticide à longue durée d’action (MILDA) de qualité inférieure par TANA Netting a révélé la faiblesse des mécanismes de contrôle qualité du Fonds mondial et la façon dont ils ont conduit à une perte non quantifiable avec une perspective de recouvrement improbable.

ABSTRACT The OIG report on its investigation into the procurement of sub-standard, long-lasting insecticidal nets from TANA Netting has revealed the weakness of the Global Fund’s quality control mechanisms and how they led to an unquantifiable loss with doubtful recovery.

ABSTRACT Several developments relating to the Global Fund and COVID-19 have been published. The Global Fund released its Results Report for 2020 and reflected on the progress made in the fight against the three diseases while recent surveys by the Global Fund and the World Health Organization further reveal the disruptive effects COVID-19 continues to have on HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and on other essential health services. Due to concerns about the effectiveness of HIV and tuberculosis interventions, and the related implementation arrangements in Pakistan, the Global Fund has recently invoked the Additional Safeguard Policy.

ABSTRACT The Asia Pacific Council of AIDS Service Organizations has published a report based on a survey across seven countries in the region, examining the degree and nature of civil society and community engagement in the Global Fund’s country dialogue processes. The report notes overall improvement compared to 2015, but highlights the persistence of some of the same issues, and makes recommendations to address them.

ABSTRACT In April, hundreds of children in Pakistan were infected with HIV through the use of unsterile syringes and intravenous drips. Pakistani authorities initially said that the outbreak was traceable to the practice of a single doctor, who was arrested and taken into custody, but public health experts believe his practice to be only a part of the cause. The outbreak has shone a spotlight on what are thought to be widespread unsafe medical practices in the country. The Global Fund is the only provider of ARVs in Pakistan, and the surge in new infections has urgently increased the need for pediatric antiretrovirals.

ABSTRACT Observations by the Office of the Inspector General in its Progress Report presented to the Board at it is meeting in Montreux, Switzerland, have identified emerging issues, or what it terms as themes, emerging from audit and investigation work so far this year, and which are presented here.

ABSTRACT Delays in signing the framework agreement forced The Global Fund to extend existing grants to Pakistan to ensure that disbursements and services were not interrupted. Sources at the Fund informed GFO that the agreement would be signed the week of 22 February.

ABSTRACT The Global Fund Board has approved incremental funding in the amount of $8 million for an existing Pakistani TB grant, making Pakistan the first interim applicant to be allocated funding in the transition phase of the new funding model.