India uppity about $100m The Global Fund AIDS grant

[Guest guest]

India uppity about $100m AIDS grant

BACHI KARKARIA

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ MONDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2003 10:06:55 PM ]

NEW DELHI : The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria approved a

grant of $100 million in January 2003 for Indian AIDS projects, the

largest for Asia in this round.

It is now half-way into December, and the government of India is

still dragging its feet on signing the project grant agreement. India

could end up losing the money to a less nitpicking country.

Meenakshi Datta Ghosh, project director of the apex AIDS

organisation, NACO, says the sticking point is ``the clause that

funds will be disbursed every quarter based upon satisfactory

performance, and that this disbursement is subject to the

availability of money with the Global Fund (GF). We cannot accept an

agreement where there is no predictability of funds.''

She righteously asserts that `` India cannot compromise its

sovereignty and national interest.'' Softening, she adds that

the ``government is concerned about the delays. We have been

negotiating and the response has been positive.''

Speaking to this correspondent on the phone from Geneva ,

Feachem, the GF's executive director, diplomatically indicates that

patience is running out. ``The discussion has been very very

protracted. We regret this, and we find it disappointing because we

are aware of the urgency to expand HIV prevention and treatment in

India . This is the time-bomb of the AIDS pandemic.''

Specifically asked, he says, ``There is no set deadline, but the

board always has the option to decide that the money can be used

elsewhere if even the accepting and signing process is taking so

long.''

Feachem dismisses NACO's concerns on the predictability of funds

as ``a misinterpretation of the grant agreement''. He confirms, ``We

are willing to sign a firm commitment for the first two years of the

five-year period. The money is in the bank. Even for the next three,

we are optimistic of securing the necessary funds.''

India 's apprehensions are difficult to understand. This is the

Global Fund's standard allocation pattern — 121 countries have

accepted it for the 224 grants made to them. There is no donor-agency

agenda; grants are made to the projects chosen by the country. In

this case, all the money is to be funnelled through NACO, there is no

direct allocation to NGOs.

Moreover, the amount is a windfall taking the pressure off budgetary

allocations for the health ministry's projected Rs 127 crore on AIDS

treatment and Rs 87 crore for testing.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/360382.cms