Proactive Investigation of Procurements of Non-Compliant HIV Rapid Diagnostic Testing Kits
31 May 2018
An OIG proactive investigation found that some Global Fund Principal Recipients had bought HIV rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits that were non-compliant with the Global Fund’s policies for health products. The Global Fund had not detected some of these purchases. It has since implemented measures to reduce the risk that Global Fund implementers procure non-compliant health products.
The investigation found that four Principal Recipients in three countries bought HIV RDT kits valued at US$230,268 that were non-compliant. No evidence of wrongdoing was found in these procurements and in this instance, the procurements did not result in a public health risk.
However, the Global Fund had not detected some of the non-compliant purchases and had erroneously verified some inaccurate product information provided by implementers. Consequently, some components of the Global Fund’s monitoring and verification of health product purchases by grant recipients were found to need strengthening.
In response, the Global Fund Secretariat has added clarifications to the LFA guidelines to ensure that similar verification errors do not reoccur. It has also agreed to re-visit and clarify its quality assurance mandate for all health products. These steps will help to ensure that recipients purchase health products that are good quality, safe, appropriate and affordable.