TANZANIA: Global Fund uncovers flaws in malaria drug management
Posted by African Press International on August 7, 2009
 Photo: Sarah Mace/IRIN  |
| Drugs in storage: A routine audit by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has found that almost US$1 million worth of anti-malaria drugs are missing or have expired in Tanzania’s medical warehouses (file photo) |
NAIROBI, – Almost US$1 million worth of anti-malaria drugs are missing or have expired in Tanzania’s medical warehouses, an audit by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has found.
The routine audit, whose findings were published in June, revealed that Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) drugs worth $819,000 are missing and another $130,000 have expired, highlighting problems with internal control mechanisms and raising the possibility of serious fraud.
In addition, glitches in the procurement process led to an oversupply and the consequent expiry of ACTs – which have a relatively short shelf-life – in warehouses around the country.
“The Global Fund is very concerned about drugs intended to save lives being unaccounted for or expiring before they reach the people who need them,” Andrew Hurst, Global Fund spokesman, told IRIN.
Hurst stressed that contrary to media reports, the Global Fund had not threatened to withdraw funding from Tanzania as a result of the audit’s findings. It has asked the Tanzanian office of international audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers to investigate.
The audit covered Global Fund programmes being implemented by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Prime Minister’s Office, the African Medical and Research Foundation and the Tanzania Commission for AIDS. Audit tests and programme visits were carried out in eight districts in January and February.
According to Tanzania’s The Citizen Newspaper, the Ministry of Health has said it is reviewing the audit report and the concerns raised would be addressed. Health Minister David Mwakyusa also said the ministry was collecting returns from all regions in order to establish a more comprehensive picture.
 Photo: Global Fund  |
| Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS Malaria and Tuberculosis logo |
The audit blamed deficiencies in a computerized stock-management system used by Tanzania’s Medical Stores Department for some of the problems – for instance, some warehouse staff were creating unauthorized stock adjustments in the system to write off stolen items.
“Given the volume of procurements of medicines and health supplies under the grants, a well-functioning inventory control and management system is necessary to establish tracking and accounting for procurement, storage and distribution of medicines and other health products in the entire supply chain,” the report found.
“Tanzania is managing huge drug distribution programmes, and logistics can be incredibly difficult to manage, especially when using sophisticated software systems,” Hurst said. “Certainly there is a need for better management of the system.”
Despite the failings raised by the report, Hurst pointed out that the Tanzanian ARV programme was, on the whole, a successful one. The Global Fund has committed $820 million to support programmes to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria in Tanzania; by the end of February, $384 million of this had been disbursed.
“There is no question that the Global Fund’s money has been put to good use in Tanzania,” he said.
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