More than 300 million US dollar (1,8 milliarder DKR) of health funding to Zambia’s goverment is being suspen-ded by the Global Fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, BBC online reports Wednesday.
The Fund is concerned about alleged corruption in connection with one or more grants to the health ministry. But some aid will be channelled through other groups.
It is not the first time Zambia has lost aid amid corruption claims: Sweden and the Netherlands stopped health aid and the EU halted road-building funds. Også Danmark har indefrosset bistand – se http://www.u-landsnyt.dk/nyhed/06-06-10/10-danske-politikere-gaester-smertens-boernene-zam
The director of communications for the Global Fund, John Liden, told the BBC that life-saving treatments would not be hit.
He said the health ministry had failed to take the neces-sary steps since the corruption was first detected.
The decision will be a big blow to the government which depends on aid to treat HIV and Aids.
The Global Fund was set up in 2002 under the direction of then-UN Secre-tary General Kofi Annan. It has distributed more than 19 billion dollar in aid targeted at tackling HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.
