Corruption and strengthening anti-corruption efforts in healthcare during the pandemic of Covid-19

Med Leg J. 2021 Mar;89(1):25-28. doi: 10.1177/0025817220971925. Epub 2020 Dec 17.

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has created the opportunity for corruption to flourish in healthcare sectors around the world. Challenges include misuse and mismanagement of resources and corruption, which require scrutiny and attention. This article deals with such corruption during the pandemic, involving public procurement of goods and services for the treatment of diseases, falsification of public contracts and kickbacks, embezzlement of healthcare funds, opacity in governance, misuse of power, nepotism and favouritism in the management, petty corruption in the level of service, fraud and theft or embezzlement of medicines and medical devices.

Keywords: Covid-19 pandemic; combating corruption; corruption; healthcare system; public procurement.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / economics*
  • Delivery of Health Care / economics*
  • Delivery of Health Care / organization & administration*
  • Fraud*
  • Government
  • Health Resources / economics*
  • Humans
  • Internationality
  • Public Sector
  • Social Responsibility
  • Theft*