What is the cost? Exploring the burden and impact of corruption in the healthcare sector in Uganda, and the policy options to address it

In this webinar, we will discuss the prevalence and cost of corruption in the healthcare sector of Uganda. We discuss the finding of a new study on corruption in Uganda which offers detailed estimates of the direct and indirect corruption costs, as well as examines the drivers of corruption and policy options to decrease corruption in the healthcare sector.

The study finds that, by the conservative estimate, the overall annual cost of corruption in Uganda equals to more than 9.1 trillion UGX (2.1 billion EUR). With that, the total cost of corruption in the healthcare sector amounts to nearly UGX 670 billion (EUR 156 million per year). This equals to 25% of government spending on health which has been diverted or used inappropriately. These estimates were derived by a mixed methods study which included in-depth interviews with experts and practitioners, and the household survey of healthcare services users conducted in 2021-22.

The discussion will focus on:

• Drivers of corruption in the healthcare sector in Uganda.
• The diverse impacts of corruption in healthcare delivery on the vulnerable groups in the society of Uganda.
• Policy options to decrease corruption in the sector and improve accessibility and quality of health services in Uganda.

Panelists:

Mihaly Fazekas, PhD, is a Director of the Government Transparency Institute and assistant professor at the Central European University, School of Public Policy.

Olena Nikulina, Data Analyst, Government Transparency Institute, Hungary

Eleanor Hutchinson PhD, Associate Professor in Anthropology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom

Peter Mwebesa, Principal Inspectorate Officer, Government of Uganda, Peter was consulting us and reviewing the intermediate results from the insider perspective.

Chair:

Dina Balabanova is a Professor of Health Systems and Policy in the Department of Global Health and Development at LSHTM and an Adjunct Professor at Njala University, Sierra Leone, with over 25 years of experience in health systems and policy research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Her main expertise is in health systems governance and anti-corruption, effective delivery models and health systems strengthening.

Webinar Recording

About the TWG AAA

The Thematic Working Group on Action on Accountability and Anti-corruption for SDGs (TWG AAA) is dedicated to exploring and addressing the root causes of weak accountability and corruption in health systems, with a particular focus on the systemic structures that allow these challenges to persist. The group champions effective governance as a cornerstone for sustainable development and the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Find out more about their work and how to join the group on the dedicated TWG AAA page.