Global Fund Observer
Newsletter
Issue 274: 04 November 2015
GFO is now available in French. Subscribe to it or add it to your existing subscription.
L'OFM est désormais disponible en français. Abonnez-vous ou ajoutez-le à votre abonnement.
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE: |
Although the new malaria vaccine shows promise, there are concerns about whether it can be effectively administered. The Global Fund will wait for a recommendation from the World Health Organization before deciding whether to support pilot-testing the vaccine in a small number of countries.
A Forum of civil society organizations, key affected populations, and people living with the diseases was initiated in early 2015 in Lao PDR. The Forum will give civil society input into decision-making and will play a role in monitoring grant implementation.
At its upcoming meeting, the Board will review how well the Global Fund has performed against 13 key performance indicators. It will also discuss 2016 performance targets for 10 of the indicators. The KPIs have been modified several times since they were introduced in 2004. This article explains how they have evolved.
A series of emails recently released by the U.S. State Department contradict claims by the Global Fund that Michel Kazatchkine’s resignation as executive director in March 2012 was not related to allegations that the Fund awarded a $2.8 million contract without proper procurement procedures having been followed.
The latest funding approvals involved 22 grants from 11 countries and five regional organizations. Two Malawi grants received $438 million of the $620 million approved.
6. NEWS: EECA regional initiative will address drug-resistant TB
Starting in January 2016, a new regional initiative will be implemented to respond to drug-resistant TB epidemics in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This is a first regional TB initiative funded by the Global Fund in the EECA.
On 30 October, the Office of the Inspector General released a report on its investigation into the procurement and distribution of nearly two million counterfeit bed nets in Burkina Faso valued at € 9 million. The OIG found that two local wholesalers provided the counterfeit nets and that the PR and the Secretariat bore some responsibility for what happened.
8. NEWS: Problems persist in the management of the supply chain in Ghana: OIG audit
In an audit report on grants to Ghana, the Office of the Inspector General identified weaknesses in managing programs, health services, and products, and in risk management. The OIG also found challenges in data collection and reporting but rated financial and fiduciary management as effective.
9. NEWS: More attention should be paid to data collection and use, authors say
The authors of a paper published by the Center for Strategic International Studies say that there is a lack of data to guide smart investment decisions at the Global Fund, and that the Fund needs to accord a much higher priority to data collection and use.
10. ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY: Building the capacities for Guinea’s SRs will be challenging
When the Global Fund recently signed a $62.7 million HIV grant with Guinea, Bertrand Kampoer says, weaknesses in the capacity of implementers, particularly sub-recipients, had already been identified as one of the grant’s main challenges.
A report on Bulgaria released by the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network is the second in a series of case studies on the impact on harm reduction programs when the Global Fund withdraws support.
12. ANNOUNCEMENT: Nominations sought for three positions on the Developed Country NGO Delegation
The Developed Country NGO Delegation to the Global Fund Board is seeking nominations for three positions on its delegation.
This is issue 274 of the GLOBAL FUND OBSERVER (GFO) Newsletter. Please send all suggestions for news items, commentaries or any other feedback to David Garmaise, GFO Editor (david.garmaise@aidspan.org). To subscribe to GFO, go to www.aidspan.org.
GFO Newsletter is a free and independent source of news, analysis and commentary about the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (www.theglobalfund.org).
Aidspan (www.aidspan.org) is a Kenya-based international NGO that serves as an independent watchdog of the Global Fund, aiming to benefit all countries wishing to obtain and make effective use of Global Fund resources. Aidspan finances its work through grants from foundations and bilateral donors. Aidspan does not accept Global Fund money, perform paid consulting work, or charge for any of its products.
GFO Newsletter is now available in English and French. Articles are also available in Russian.
Reproduction of articles in the newsletter is permitted if the following is stated: "Reproduced from the Global Fund Observer Newsletter, a service of Aidspan."
Click here to unsubscribe.
GFO archives are available here.
Copyright (c) 2015 Aidspan. All rights reserved.