Natasha Bilimoria, president of Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, writes about a report (.pdf) issued in September by an independent high-level panel commissioned by the Global Fund in a post in the Huffington Post’s “Impact” blog, saying the report “focuses on the Global Fund’s transition from a highly effective emergency response to the three pandemics, to a long-term sustainable mechanism for ensuring that its lifesaving work can continue in times of limited resources.” She continues, “As it heads toward its 10-year anniversary, the Global Fund is embracing the panel’s recommendations, strengthening its commitment to best practices and ‘turning the page’ in its fight against the three diseases.”

Bilimoria recaps some of the “impressive strides” the Global Fund has made, such as involving civil society, that are listed in the report, and adds, “as the report also points out, they don’t come without serious challenges; among them, the occasional, unacceptable misuse of funds.” She notes the Global Fund “built its model on a foundation of transparency and accountability, in the knowledge that only by holding wrongdoers accountable, recovering any misused funds and constantly improving its oversight procedures can the mission of saving lives be sustained.” Noting several reports released recently by the Global Fund’s Inspector General, Bilimoria writes, “No one can guarantee that waste and misuse will never occur, but the Global Fund can guarantee that it will use the full force of the law to discover it, correct it and make the findings public.” She concludes, “Shifting from an emergency response to long-term sustainability — particularly in this tough economic environment — will require an even stronger emphasis on oversight, ensuring that U.S. taxpayer dollars are used effectively and efficiently. The Global Fund continues to demonstrate that it’s up to the challenge” (11/8).