The demand by Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang for the rerouting of a $72-million United Nations Aids grant to KwaZulu-Natal has split the UNGlobal Aids Fund, the agency concerned.
A row has erupted after Tshabalala-Msimang asked for the grant to be re-routed through the South African National Aids Council (Sanac) and distributed equitably to all provinces.
The national Ministry of Health said KwaZulu-Natal had not followed the correct procedures, which required it to apply a ”country fund coordinating mechanism” established by national government.
KwaZulu-Natal applied directly for the grant, explaining that it had done so because a national mechanism had not been set up in time.
The bureaucratic wrangling over the money sparked a fierce response from Anglican archbishop Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, who called for Tshabalala-Msimang’s resignation.
The Treatment Action Campaign’s Nathan Geffen said: ”We fully understand and appreciate the lack of confidence expressed in the minister.”
The South African government has also received $165,2-million directly from the fund, of which $93-million will go to Sanac.
However, it has become clear that the UN global fund is itself divided over KwaZulu-Natal’s application.
Business Day quoted the former head of the fund’s proposals team, Hernan Rosenberg, as warning that if the money was diverted to other projects for which it was not earmarked, it would be withheld.
But UN online news service PLUSnews quotes Dr Mazuwa Banda, the global fund’s coordinator for Africa, as saying the dispute was ”the first big political test for the fund”.
The fund’s representatives were divided over whether proposals should have the endorsement of national governments.
PLUSnews quotes the province’s bid leader, Professor Umesh Lallo, as saying KwaZulu-Natal was ”pressed for time” and the designation of Sanac as the coordinating mechanism ”happened at the last minute”.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Health Zweli Mkhize dismissed fears that the province would not get the amount it needed for programmes if it was routed through Sanac. He said they would be meeting the Global Fund.
PLUSnews comments that at the time of KwaZulu-Natal’s application, ”the government was embroiled in a controversy over the provision of nevirapine to all HIV-positive pregnant women and there was uncertainty over whether they would apply for resources from the fund.”