The Global Alliance for Vaccinations and Immunisations (Gavi), which is sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has halted payments to Sierra Leone’s ministry of health over reported misuse of over $1million in disbursed funds.
Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma is under pressure to act after the stunning Gavi report revealed massive corruption in the health sector.
The frozen money amounts to $6 million which was earmarked for the Sierra Leone health sector.
Gavi also froze the last disbursement of the current grant, amounting to over $500,000.
The Gavi Alliance was launched in 2000 with a $750 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help improve access to immunisation in poor countries.
Sierra Leone is reported to have benefitted from the Foundation to the tune of more than $27 million since 2001.
A leaked letter notes that the organisation, which specialises in the manufacture of vaccines, claims that “an in-depth audit revealed serious concerns of misuse of Gavi funds”, totalling $1,099,640.
The report has sparked a blame game, with the current minister of Health distancing himself from it.
Acting Minister of Health, Tamba Borbor-Sawyer, said the Gavi letter had no proof any foul play on the part of the ministry.
“The content of that document doesn’t say the Gavi money has been defrauded … It points out certain areas where there could have been some malfeasance,” he was quoted saying.
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