The Geneva-based Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is set to disqualify Uganda from its list of beneficiaries for failing to use vast sums of money put at its disposal to fight the three diseases, Daily Monitor reported on Saturday.

Quoting an anonymous source, the paper reported that the problem arises from the country's failure to utilize over 120 million U.S dollars to fight the diseases and it is also highly unlikely that the country will finish writing its proposal for the Global Fund's (GF) Round Six funds in time.

"The new 'problem' of the country's failure to utilize the money from various program components is caused by sloppiness in the procurement process. In one extreme case, government officials have failed to purchase 1.8 million mosquito nets since the funds for them were made available over two years ago," the paper reported.

Health management experts have warned that the country is unlikely to beat the Thursday August 3, 2006 deadline to present a national proposal for Round Six and if it does, the proposal stands high chances of being rejected by Geneva, as it might be sub-standard.

However, Elizabeth Madraa, the AIDS Control Program Manager under the Ministry of Health, has dismissed the experts' fears, saying the proposal is in advanced stages.

"The preparation is still continuing and we are in our advanced stages. And, very soon we shall announce that the proposal is ready," she said. "Nobody is rushing, nobody is late. We have set our deadline and are well in time."

She said the ministry had gathered "the best technical team" that is working hard on the proposal.

But a top official with intimate knowledge of the Global Fund project in Uganda told Daily Monitor that it is "highly unlikely that a technically robust proposal can be made by the Thursday deadline."

"I have serious doubts that Uganda's Round Six proposal could be accepted by Geneva. There has not been enough time to consult," the official said, adding that the government wants to resubmit the Round Five proposal, which was rejected by Geneva last year, as part of Round Six.

The Round Five proposal was on up-scaling malaria interventions. However, Round Six requires proposals on health system development, up scaling of Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS programs.

According to information available on the GF website, Uganda had so far received five grants. The last grant for malaria was worth 66 million U.S. dollars, of which 35 million dollars has not yet been disbursed. The last disbursement was sent in December last year. The most affected grant is the fourth worth 70 million dollars, of which at least 62 million dollars not been disbursed.

Source: Xinhua