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Malawi
has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world, straining the
healthcare system and economy ©Marco Longari (AFP)
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Malawi has suspended 63
civil servants who allegedly stole millions of dollars of US funds sent for
fighting HIV and AIDS, local media reported on Friday.
Health
Minister Peter Kumpalume told the Daily Times newspaper that senior officials
from the health ministry’s finance, human resources and HIV and AIDS
departments were "suspended to allow auditors to investigate and audit the
accounts.
AFP report continues:
This
is the first a record number of civil servants have been suspended in the poor
southern African nation.
Malawi
has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the world, straining the
healthcare system and economy. It has trimmed the national HIV prevalence rate
from over 12 percent in 2004 to 10 percent in 2014.
Kumpalume
said the stolen money ran into "millions", adding that the US-funded
Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had written the ministry to
complain that they suspected civil servants from the HIV and AIDS project were
defrauding the government.
US
ambassador to Malawi, Virginia Palmer, said on Facebook that she hoped the
authorities "will identify those responsible and that they will be held
fully accountable for the misuse of funds intended to improve the health of
Malawian citizens."
Prosecutors have in the
past said one third of Malawi’s government revenue is lost through fraud.
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