GAVI program money "paid for non-existent vaccinations"

An Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation report published in The Lancet alleges that only 7.4 million children, out of almost 14 million  claimed by the GAVI Alliance, had been immunized against diphteria,  pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus (DPT3 vaccine) under a program  operated by the aid group.

Philip Stevens, the health program director of the International Policy  Network, a London-based think-tank specializing in development issues,  told the Associated Press: "with the unprecedented billions given by the  international community, there is no excuse for these poor coverage  rates." He added: "one has to wonder where the money has gone, hopefully  not into Swiss bank accounts."

In a statement, the Geneva, Switzerland-based group, has responded to  claims made by the IHME, by inviting its head, Chris Murray, to join a  task force to evaluate the quality of GAVI's own figures, which are  based on World Health Organization- and UNICEF-validated data. A  spokesman for the GAVI Alliance told the Marketletter that the team was  formed in early 2008.