Investigation Into Data Falsification in Guinea
30 October 2018
SIDALERTE, a Guinea NGO contracted by a Guinea HIV grant Principal Recipient to conduct an Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance (IBBS) survey in 2015, falsified survey participants and responses as well as associated HIV blood test and prevalence data. SIDALERTE also falsified its costs associated with conducting the survey. IBBS surveys are widely and frequently used across Global Fund HIV grant portfolios to inform the design and implementation of effective HIV programs and measure program results. The falsification of the survey’s data misrepresented the program’s progress and would have directly impacted subsequent strategic and financial decisions had the survey’s results been published on time.
The Secretariat will enhance its IBBS survey guidance to country teams to include assessing the potential data fraud risks in IBBS and similar surveys and to apply appropriate risk-based, mitigation and assurance measures.