Investigation Report: Global Fund Grants in Cambodia
Principal Recipients CNM, NCHADS and MoH and NCHADS Sub-recipient MEDiCAM
The Investigations Unit of the Office of the Inspector General of the Global Fund has carried out an extensive investigation of allegations of fraud and financial abuse in Rounds 1 through 9 of multiple grant programs financed by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the “Global Fund”) to the Kingdom of Cambodia. The investigation has focused upon certain government entity implementer in the health sector within Cambodia, including the National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control (“CNM”), a Principal Recipient (“PR”); the National Centre for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STD Control (“NCHADS”), also a PR; and MEDiCAM, a Sub-recipient (“SR”) of the Ministry of Health (“MoH”) and NCHADS.1 CNM and NCHADS are not distinct or separate legal entities from the MoH, and thus are considered part of the Cambodian government.
The OIG investigation was initiated as a result of findings from the 2009 OIG audit of the Global Fund grants to Cambodia, which included the identification of procurement irregularities and substantial weaknesses in internal controls, along with complaints received through the OIG anti-fraud web and whistle-blower hotlines. Further allegations, including those of fraud, abuse, bribery, corruption and other forms of financial abuse, such as misuse of funds by senior officials in Global Fund-supported programs, arose throughout the course of this investigation.
The investigation has identified sufficient credible and substantive evidence of corruption, procurement irregularities, and misuse and misappropriation of grant funds, in connection with Global Fund programs