Global Fund’s probe saw little cooperation

2 January 2014
The Phnom Penh Post
Aid and development / Anti-corruption / Government / Health care policy and administration / Ministry of Health / Public health / Social development
Acleda Bank Plc / CNM / Foreign Trade Bank of Cambodia / FTB / Global Fund / MEDICAM / National Bank of Cambodia / National Center for HIV/AIDS Dermatology and STD Control / National Malaria Center / NBC / NCHADS / Office of the Inspector General / OIG / Seth Faison

Financial records the Global Fund requested for its investigation into widespread corruption in health grants to Cambodia were withheld and censored by grant recipients, the probe found, suggesting a systematic attempt to cover up wrongdoing. Out of a total of $220.3 million worth of expenses the fund’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) requested to review, documentation covering only $86.9 million was made available, the report notes. When accounts and other records were provided for review, some were completely empty and “selected and critical elements” of the files were removed, indicating a concerted effort by some grantees to hide evidence of malfeasance. Purchase orders, receipts, delivery documents, bidders’ quotes, requests for proposals, contract awards and invoices were missing from files provided by the Ministry of Health, National Malaria Center (CNM), National Center for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STD Control (NCHADS) and NGO umbrella group MEDiCAM, covering about $17 million in grants. …

 Daniel Pye
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/global-fund%E2%80%99s-probe-saw-little-cooperation