The Global
Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Tuesday announced it
has signed a letter of intent to appoint a temporary recipient for part
of a grant to a Ukranian HIV/AIDS program that was suspended earlier this
year, according to a Global Fund release
(Global Fund release, 2/24). The Global Fund in January suspended approximately
$6.7 million in payments on grants to three Ukrainian HIV/AIDS organizations
because of concerns that the programs were poorly managed and behind schedule
in meeting their goals. The Global Fund has approved up to $25 million
in grants over two years and up to $92 million over five years for Ukrainian
programs. The three primary recipients from which grants were suspended
include a Ukraine health ministry program to increase the number of people
on antiretroviral therapy from fewer than 60 people to about 4,000 people
over two years; a public education program on AIDS prevention organized
by the Ukrainian Fund to Fight HIV Infection and AIDS; and prevention programs
for injection drug users, sex workers, soldiers and other high-risk groups
run by several small organizations under the management of the United
Nations Development Programme. The Global Fund as of the end of January
had disbursed $7.5 million to the Ukranian programs, but they had spent
only about $740,000, according to Global Fund spokesperson Jon Liden (Kaiser
Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 2/2). Global Fund Executive Director Richard
Feachem said, "This new arrangement will allow funds to flow to those who
most need it -- the people of Ukraine who are living with HIV/AIDS," adding,
"We are committed to help turn around the AIDS epidemic in Ukraine, and
we are pleased that we could speedily solve the problems which prevented
effective action."
Details
The Global Fund expects that it will
award a one-year, $15 million grant to the International
HIV/AIDS Alliance, which had been a sub-recipient in the previous grant
structure. The alliance will serve as the sole principal recipient to administer
funding to "implementers" of the program's four components, including HIV
treatment and prevention programs for high-risk groups; care and support
programs for people living with HIV/AIDS; a "general risk" awareness campaign;
and monitoring and evaluation. The grant could be extended beyond one year
based on the alliance's performance and the progress made by the Ukraine
Country
Coordinating Mechanism -- the Global Fund's country-level partner for
grant proposals -- in "addressing the concerns raised by the Global Fund"
that resulted in suspension of the original grants, according to the release.
Global Fund Senior Director for Strategy, Evaluation and Program Support
Brad Herbert said, "Once the serious issues we have raised on governance,
management and adherence to required business practices are satisfactorily
addressed, we hope the program will soon return to being country-led by
the Country Coordinating Mechanism" (Global Fund release, 2/24).
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