I shouldn’t be surprised that corrupt governments are…well, corrupt. I should come to expect almost everything from people seeking to stuff their pockets with money that is not intended for them.
But I didn’t see this coming. Governments in poor countries misrepresenting the number of kids vaccinated (inflating the number by a factor of 2) in order to get their hands on larger sums of UN development funds. Where those funds went — $150 million — is anyone’s guess.
I wonder to what extent this story will undermine calls for aid from countries like Zambia, Liberia, and Pakistan – the highest offenders on the list. And, more importantly, to what extent it will hurt the people who are in real need of help? And what will happen to officials who misrepresented the numbers? Anything?
Published Date: December 12, 2008