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Bush increases PEPFAR funds by USD303m
2008-04-19 09:43:00
By Guardian Reporter
The US has said it will increase President`s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) assistance to Tanzania by an additional USD303m, bringing the total amount contributed to over USD817m.
A statement issued yesterday by the US embassy in Dar es Salaam said since its inception in 2003, PEPFAR has contributed over USD500m to Tanzania towards combating HIV/Aids.
The statement said the success of PEPFAR was firmly rooted in partnerships between the American people and the people of the countries in which it is privileged to serve, including Tanzania.
It said that the US government partners receiving funding must follow strict policy and protocol on reporting spending and results.
``Each year, PEPFAR is required to track each and every allocation and the result of that spending is reported back to the US Congress,`` read part of the statement which was making clarification on the story published on Thursday.
The story quoted a Member of Parliament as saying that HIV/Aids funds and resources sponsored by development partners, specifically the US are being embezzled by some non-governmental organisations.
However, the statement said yesterday that the extraordinary amount of PEPFAR funding being provided worldwide calls for a rigorous framework of monitoring and evaluation.
``This accountability for each and every taxpayer`s dollar is essential and depends on accurate information.
Information about the PEPFAR system is also transparent and available to the public either through the PEPFAR/Tanzania Media Outreach Coordinator in the US mission in Dar es Salaam, or on-line at www.pepfar.gov.,`` the statement said.
US Ambassador to Tanzania Mark Green was quoted in the statement as saying: ``We are obligated to assure to the American taxpayers back home that their money goes toward the purpose for which it is intended. It is important to constantly reassess where that money is going.``
With an original commitment of USD15bn across 5 years, and a final funding level of USD18.5bn, PEPFAR is the largest international health initiative in history dedicated to a single disease.
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