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HIV Kits Payment Mystery
New Vision (Kampala)
September 15, 2005
By Vision Reporter
Kampala
CONFUSION surrounds the cost and number of HIV test kits procured by the now disbanded Project Management Unit (PMU) in the Ministry of Health last year, for the national sero survey.
It is not clear if they were bought by the PMU using money from the Global Fund, or if they were supplied by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC headquarters are in the USA and its Uganda office is based at the Uganda Virus Institute in Entebbe.
The PriceWaterhouseCooopers (PWC) audit report in August that triggered the suspension of the Global Fund grants to Uganda stated that the kits (simple rapid test) cost US$545,300. PWC's main concern in the audit was the restricted bidding process for the kits.
Following the widespread release of the PWC report, it has now emerged that CDC also supplied and paid for some or all of the HIV test kits.
A senior CDC official in Entebbe said, "This is very confusing. We are investigating. I know we gave them physical HIV test kits but we are checking the details."
PMU chief Dr. Tiberius Muheebwa said, "I am not sure about the quantity of the kits. But they cost US$520,000. There were three types of kits. It was not only from the Global Fund. They also came from PEPFAR and CDC."
PEPFAR is President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
In its investigation, the PWC noted, "In addition to the questionable method of procurement, the PMU/MOH (ministry of health) also mentioned the brand in the bid documents which is contrary to PPDA (Public Procurement & Disposal of Public Assets) provisions."
The PWC also discovered bidders were given only eight working days to submit their bids but they should have received 15 days.
The Government has set up a judicial commission of inquiry chaired by Principal Judge James Ogoola to investigate the mismanagement of the Switzerland-based Global Fund on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
President Museveni appointed the probe commission following the suspension of the fund. Health minister Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi has promised tough action against anyone found responsible for the mess.
However, MPs have also started a process of censuring the minister, whom they say should take responsibility for the scam.
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