The GAVI Alliance on Thursday said an investigation conducted by a GAVI transparency and accountability team and auditors from the Malian government “has found that $563,000 was misused in two of its cash-based projects in Mali, and Malian authorities have agreed to pay it back,” Reuters reports. The Malian government arrested four individuals in connection with the misuse of the funds, and during the investigation, GAVI suspended $1.8 million in unused funds, the news service adds (Kelland, 5/19).

“Sixty percent of the misused amount, or $335,000, was judged by investigators as ineligible expenses, which although used in the health sector, were outside the scope of GAVI’s funding agreement. The remaining 40% of the funds, $228,000, were spent on nonexistent activities or on fictitious procurement of goods and services,” a GAVI press release states (5/19).