Countering Corruption to Promote Social Justice in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is dedicated to saving lives and promoting social justice, but intermittent corruption scandals surrounding the Fund’s operations in countries such as Uganda have threatened these ideals and goals. Corruption is a form of social injustice, as it inhibits fairness and impartiality in the distribution of public goods. Based on a review of academic literature, news reports, and official documents, we show that operations in Uganda illustrate shortcomings in the Global Fund’s approach to corruption. We examine the Fund’s Country Coordinating Mechanisms, Public-Private Partnerships, and Local Fund Agents, as well as the whistle-blowing mechanism under the Office of the Inspector General, to uncover how current processes and structures may fail to check corruption and undermine social justice. The contradictions in the Fund’s approach suggest the limits of aid and philanthropy in promoting socially just societies.