Corruption and the Healthcare Sector: Overview

Abstract

The world is greatly out of balance on issues of health and equal distribution of resources. In the mist of scarce resources corruption has compounded the problem of health care institution as it affects the five dimensions of health system performance; access to care, quality of care, equity in health care services, efficiency of healthcare sector and efficacy of healthcare services. Corruption is a complex, multifaceted and a global issue in health system as no country is exempted, though it is more obvious in the developing world. In the health sectors corruption ranges from smaller- scale acts by doctors and nurses who collects bribes from patient before treatment, falsify data, to larger- scale acts at hospital administrator’s level or ministerial level, when people in power embezzle public funds or redirect resources from those who need it for their own benefit which affects population health. The effect of corruption on health outcome of such population is devastating. Since corruption severally comprise quality of health services, there is need for significant regulatory oversight, transparency and accountability. To attain health for all and implement the fundamental health right, corruption must be eradicated or dwindled to barest minimum for effective implementation of healthcare care services that will enhance population health positively