Reuters corrects Malawi article on Global Fund: As Beam ‘well-wishers’ get money back

Reuters news agency has corrected a news item that had erroneously reported that the Global Fund had cancelled US$574 million of grants to Malawi. In an update, Reuters reported that Global Funda has redirected the funding away from Malawi’s National Aids Council (NAC) after allegations of financial mismanagement, including the purchase of vehicles that were not budgeted for.

Minister of Health Kalilani: Global Fund misled by "unpatriotic Malawians"
Minister of Health Kalilani: Global Fund misled by “unpatriotic Malawians”

The original news item, titled “Global Fund cancels $574 mln for fighting AIDS in Malawi,” erroneously reported that Malawi’s Minister of Health, Jean Kalilani, said that the Global Fund had cancelled grants to Malawi.

The Global Fund did not cancel any funding to Malawi, where HIV is a serious concern. In fact, Malawi is currently implementing extensive programs that prevent, treat and care for people affected by HIV, and is in the process of submitting detailed funding applications to the Global Fund to support programs in the coming years.

Kalirani claimed aid the Geneva-based fund had been misled by “unpatriotic Malawians”.

However, the Global Fund disputed this, saying it had decided earlier this year to channel the assistance, which runs until 2017, through Malawi’s Ministry of Health and the charity ActionAid rather than through the NAC, a public trust that is meant to spearhead the national response to HIV/Aids.

The fund said it had not considered cancelling AIDS funding to Malawi, one of the world’s worst-hit countries and home to more than one million children orphaned by the disease.

“At no time did the Global Fund discuss cancelling the $574 million allocation,” it said in a statement. “Every grant by the Global Fund is approved by the board and any cancellation has to be approved by the board.”

Greater access to medicine, backed by cash from the Global Fund, has helped slash AIDS-related deaths in Malawi, where HIV/Aids has been blamed for 59 percent of deaths among those aged 15 to 59 years in the landlocked southern African nation.

Malawi, a nation of 13 million people which depends on foreign aid for 40 percent of its national budget, has suffered after donors withheld funding over a major corruption scandal in 2013.

The Fund said Malawi had already repaid $3.3 million of improper spending unearthed by a 2012 audit, while an additional unspecified amount of “inadequately accounted funding” identified by donors was “still under discussion”.

Kalilani said the Fund had asked Malawi to repay a total of $6.4 million. She did not provide a breakdown.

Meanwhile, The Nation reports that Businesspersons who mobilised money to refund National Aids Commission (NAC) on behalf of First Lady Getrude Mutharika’s Beautify Malawi (Beam)Trust have taken back their funds.

NAC donated K5 million to Beam in September last year, attracting protests from a number of quarters, including some civil society organisations which demonstrated over the matter.

In the wake of refund demands, some businesspersons in Lilongwe, led by Bannet Chinsinga, sourced the money and paid it through Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) chairperson Robert Mkwezalamba.

However, NAC and Beam distanced themselves from the refund which was eventually sent to to the Office of the President and Cabinet for safe keeping in what critics said was a charade.—(Additional reporting by Nyasa Times)

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A Thini
9 years ago

Okuuzani analipo koma makani basi ndiye mwanya nayo a NAC

chefourpence
9 years ago

ndalama zapita ku mabungwe a chitumbuka

Pakamwa pa Agalu
Pakamwa pa Agalu
9 years ago

Even the Minster of Heal;th looks to be too dull to be a minister. This is why she doesn’t understand that it is actually Getu, Mlakho i.e. Pitala and Dausi who are the most unpatriotic Malawians in this country!

Mwano ukakula
Mwano ukakula
9 years ago

BEAM siyibwenza ndalama ku NAC mau a Mabvuto Bamusi. Kodi kuyakhaku ndi kwabwino ku mtundu wa a Malawi ? Vuto ife a Malawi timayaghano momuno mokha sitiyaghana kumene kukuhokera ndalama ka element kativutitsa kuno ku Malawi. Ngati tili ndi nzeru a BEAM pamodzi ndi mlakho ndi NIB anchita bwino ?

achinangolo
9 years ago

Kkkkkk NAC mwachimina! Look now, the money will directly reach local NGO’s .

VIKA
VIKA
9 years ago

AMABUNGWE NDI A USILU IFE A DPP MULAKHO BEAM ETHEL MUTHALIKA FOUNDATION MAKOBILI TIKAWATENGA KUTIIII? TITHANA NDI MRA YOMWEYI PAFUPI NDIPO WAFIKA

Guley
Guley
9 years ago

NAC yalira mokweza. Ndalama zapita ku world vision. Anzanu a BEAM zawo zili myaa pomwe inu mukulira ntchito zanu at stake. Kufuna kusangalatsa ma politician oti ma ARV awo ndiochita kugula.

mphwanye
9 years ago

Aids ili tho mthupi kumapanganso matama kuti atichotsere ma ARV. Kupanda Bingu kubwelesa ma ARV bwenzi tili pati a malawi. Mtambo and your freinds be patriotic.

Mbola
9 years ago

Kodi Trapence kwao nkuti? Si nforena uyu?

Chikoko
9 years ago

NAC”s chairman was wrong to donate money to beam and mhlakho wa lomwe CSO led to make to die during demonstration it’s fake organisation

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