Centre grills NGO linked with Gates Foundation

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the Public Health Foundation of India for more details on the utilisation of funds related to NGO’s projects on tobacco, HIV/AIDS and its financial reports, as part of renewing its Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 license.

The NGO has Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) among its donors.

ET on February 9 had reported that the Centre had decided to disassociate the country’s apex immunisation body — NTAGI’s secretariat from the BMGF funded Immunisation Technical Support Unit (ITSU) at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) after some members raised reservations about the linkage with the BMGF.


While the home ministry has not officially stated anything on this matter, top government officials that ET spoke with said there were some clarifications that the Centre had sought from the NGO.

A PHFI spokesperson said PHFI has received notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) — FCRA Wing regarding the renewal of its FCRA registration.

“Certain observations have been made by the ministry on utilisation of funds related to PHFI’s projects on tobacco, HIV/AIDS and its financial reports. PHFI has submitted the requisite information and documents to the MHA on the observations raised in the notification and provided the needed clarifications,” the spokesperson said.

He further said that PHFI is seeking an early resolution of the issue and continuation of the FCRA registration, based on the clarifications provided.

PHFI provides technical assistance to Central and state governments in several areas of engagement including HIV prevention, access to drugs, tobacco control, immunisation, environmental health, universal health coverage, public health cadre development and capacity building of primary care physicians. All of these are in consonance with the objectives of the National Health Policy and serve public interest, he said.