GAVI says Ministries of Health in Cameroon, Niger cooperating to reimburse misused funds

"Following separate investigations into the misuse of GAVI funding in Cameroon and Niger, both Ministries of Health have cooperated fully and confirmed their commitment to take all necessary measures, including the reimbursement of misused funds," the GAVI Alliance said in a statement released on Thursday. According to the statement, "The findings suggest that up to US$4.2 million allocated for health systems strengthening (HSS) has been misused in Cameroon and up to US$2.5 million allocated for immunization services support (ISS) has been misused in Niger," with approximately $1.8 million and $1.5 million of those funds under investigation for theft in the respective countries.

"GAVI announced the Niger and Cameroon investigations in 2011 and, at the same time, suspended funding to the affected cash-based programs," the statement says, adding that support to the remainder of the nations' childhood immunization programs have continued. "GAVI and its donors have no tolerance for any misuse. The GAVI Secretariat takes the outcomes of these investigations very seriously and will vigorously pursue the repayment of misused funds," according to the statement.

Additional coverage of the announcement is available from the Associated Press/CBS News and Bloomberg Businessweek.