More than US$300million of health funding to Zambia’s government is being suspended by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and malaria. This was announced by the Director of Communications for the Global Fund, Mr. John Liden in a report broadcast on the BBC on 16th June 2010.
The report quoted Mr. Liden as saying that life saving treatments would not be hit. He further stated that the health ministry had failed to take the necessary action since the corruption was first detected despite repeated calls for action against a set of individuals whom the Zambian government was alerted about.
Management of the Global Fund was concerned about alleged corruption in connection with one or more grants to the Zambian Health Ministry. The report further revealed that some of the aid will be channeled through other groups.
It was not the first time Zambia has lost aid amid corruption claims: Sweden and the Netherlands blocked health aid and the EU halted road-building funds.
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