BACKGROUND
The Global Fund is a unique, public-private partnership and international financing institution dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector and affected communities represents an innovative approach to the health financing. The Global Fund’s model is based on the concepts of country ownership and performance-based funding, which means that people in Bhutan implement its own programs based on priorities (which is through the Country Coordinating Mechanism), and the Global Fund provides financing on the condition that verifiable results are achieved.
Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the main financier of programs to fight AIDS, TB, and malaria. The Global Fund’s approved fund amounts to USD 4,803,056 for AIDS treatment, US$ 4,681,191 for tuberculosis US$ 6,420,804 for the prevention of malaria in Bhutan. For more details refer http://portfolio.theglobalfund.org/en/Country/Index/BTN.
CCM (Country Coordinating Mechanism) is a country level entity that is a composed of all key stakeholders in a country’s response to the three diseases. The CCM does not handle Global Fund financing itself but is responsible for
Mobilizing multi-sectoral stakeholders to prepare and submit proposals and/or national strategy applications to the Global Fund that are in line with national AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria program priorities;
Responding to inquiries from the Global Fund concerning these proposals;
For each proposal, nominate one or more Principal Recipients (“PRs”) who will be responsible for implementing the grant, should the proposal be approved;
For each proposal, select one or more Sub-Recipients (”SRs”) who will be involved in the implementation of the project, should the proposal be approved;
Overseeing the implementation of activities financed by Global Fund Grants, ensuring that the performance of PRs and SRs are monitored and evaluated;
Considering and, where appropriate, approve major changes in grant implementation plans that have been proposed by one or more PRs;
When necessary, submit requests to the Global Fund for reprogramming of approved grants;
Submitting to the Global Fund requests for continued funding for each approved grant as required;
Reviewing progress reports that have been prepared by PRs for submission to the Global Fund;
Modifying and implement this Guidance Manual as required;
Fulfilling other responsibilities as outlined in this Guidance Manual and associated policies.
Ensuring transparency in all process of information sharing and make information accessible to general public.
CCM Secretariat provides administrative support to the board of the CCM.
CCM Secretariat received funds annually to operate its administrative costs like conducting meetings, oversight visits in the country and pay salaries for two staff and buy office equipments. The financial year starts from March with Global Fund whereas it starts from July with the RGOB structure.
The Global Fund Secretariat manages the grant portfolio, including screening proposals submitted, issuing instructions to disburse money to grant recipients and implementing performance-based funding of grants. More generally, the Secretariat is tasked with executing Board policies; resource mobilization; providing strategic, policy, financial, legal and administrative support; and overseeing monitoring and evaluation. It is based in Geneva and has no staffs located outside its headquarters.
The Global Fund signs a legal grant agreement with a Principal Recipient (PR), which is designated by the CCM, receives Global Fund financing directly, and then uses it to implement prevention, care and treatment programs or passes it on to sub-recipients (SRs) who provide those services. Many PRs both implement and make sub-grants. There can be multiple PRs in one country. The PR also makes regular requests for additional disbursements from the Global Fund based on demonstrated progress towards the intended results.
Local Fund Agents (LFAs), since the Global Fund does not have staff at country level, it contracts firms to act as LFA to monitor implementation. LFAs are responsible for providing recommendations to the GF Secretariat on the capacity of the entities chosen to manage Global Fund financing and on the soundness of regular requests for the disbursement of funds and result reports submitted by PRs.
[Currently Dr Tandin Dorji and Mr Pem Tobden Dorji are the LFAs in Bhutan ]
The Global Fund’s Trustee manages the organization’s money, which includes making payments to recipients at the instruction of the Secretariat. The Trustee is currently the World Bank.
Click here for Bhutan Conflict of Interest Policy 22 July 2010 (pg 20)