OIG Investigation Report into Fraudulent

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Aidspan

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Article Number: 3

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This Office of the Inspector General investigation report on the 2019 LLIN mass distribution campaign in Guinea concludes that two critical data sets from the campaign were fraudulently manipulated. The OIG also found that insufficient controls and a lack of clear accountability for data accuracy contributed to the fraudulent data being used in the campaign; and that widespread data manipulation contributes to an environment in which commodity diversion becomes possible and may go undetected. Of major significance to the Global Fund and partners in the fight against malaria: the findings – and the agreed management actions – apply not only to Guinea but are relevant to mass distribution campaigns in other countries.

This Office of the Inspector General investigation report on the 2019 LLIN mass distribution campaign in Guinea concludes that two critical data sets from the campaign were fraudulently manipulated. The OIG also found that insufficient controls and a lack of clear accountability for data accuracy contributed to the fraudulent data being used in the campaign; and that widespread data manipulation contributes to an environment in which commodity diversion becomes possible and may go undetected. Of major significance to the Global Fund and partners in the fight against malaria: the findings – and the agreed management actions – apply not only to Guinea but are relevant to mass distribution campaigns in other countries.

 

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is a Global Fund Principal Recipient (PR), implementing Global Fund grants in Guinea to strengthen malaria control services. Some 27% (US$15 million) of CRS’s US$56 million grant (signed amounts) for the implementation period 2018-2020 was allocated to the LLIN mass distribution campaign.

Under a sub-agreement signed between CRS and the Ministry of Public Health, the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) was allocated US$7.6 million from the Global Fund grant during the implementation period and led the 2019 LLIN mass distribution campaign organization. US$4 million was dedicated to campaign organization activities, including microplanning and household counting.

Though not mentioned in the report, Guinea is classified by the Global Fund as having a challenging operating environment and is subject to its Additional Safeguard Policy.