The influence of corruption and governance in the delivery of frontline health care services in the public sector: a scoping review of current and future prospects in low and middle-income countries of south and south-east Asia
Abstract Background The dynamic intersection of a pluralistic health system, large informal sector, and poor regulatory environment have provided conditions favourable for ‘corruption’ in the LMICs of south and south-east Asia region. ‘Corruption’ works to undermine the UHC goals of achieving equity...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2020-06-01
|
| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08975-0 |
| _version_ | 1818893799902937088 |
|---|---|
| author | Nahitun Naher Roksana Hoque Muhammad Shaikh Hassan Dina Balabanova Alayne M. Adams Syed Masud Ahmed |
| author_facet | Nahitun Naher Roksana Hoque Muhammad Shaikh Hassan Dina Balabanova Alayne M. Adams Syed Masud Ahmed |
| author_sort | Nahitun Naher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The dynamic intersection of a pluralistic health system, large informal sector, and poor regulatory environment have provided conditions favourable for ‘corruption’ in the LMICs of south and south-east Asia region. ‘Corruption’ works to undermine the UHC goals of achieving equity, quality, and responsiveness including financial protection, especially while delivering frontline health care services. This scoping review examines current situation regarding health sector corruption at frontlines of service delivery in this region, related policy perspectives, and alternative strategies currently being tested to address this pervasive phenomenon. Methods A scoping review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) was conducted, using three search engines i.e., PubMed, SCOPUS and Google Scholar. A total of 15 articles and documents on corruption and 18 on governance were selected for analysis. A PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist was filled-in to complete this report. Data were extracted using a pre-designed template and analysed by ‘mixed studies review’ method. Results Common types of corruption like informal payments, bribery and absenteeism identified in the review have largely financial factors as the underlying cause. Poor salary and benefits, poor incentives and motivation, and poor governance have a damaging impact on health outcomes and the quality of health care services. These result in high out-of-pocket expenditure, erosion of trust in the system, and reduced service utilization. Implementing regulations remain constrained not only due to lack of institutional capacity but also political commitment. Lack of good governance encourage frontline health care providers to bend the rules of law and make centrally designed anti-corruption measures largely in-effective. Alternatively, a few bottom-up community-engaged interventions have been tested showing promising results. The challenge is to scale up the successful ones for measurable impact. Conclusions Corruption and lack of good governance in these countries undermine the delivery of quality essential health care services in an equitable manner, make it costly for the poor and disadvantaged, and results in poor health outcomes. Traditional measures to combat corruption have largely been ineffective, necessitating the need for innovative thinking if UHC is to be achieved by 2030. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T18:18:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-049d0687851947b4b0629ad42c9c848d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T18:18:21Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-049d0687851947b4b0629ad42c9c848d2022-12-21T20:11:02ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582020-06-0120111610.1186/s12889-020-08975-0The influence of corruption and governance in the delivery of frontline health care services in the public sector: a scoping review of current and future prospects in low and middle-income countries of south and south-east AsiaNahitun Naher0Roksana Hoque1Muhammad Shaikh Hassan2Dina Balabanova3Alayne M. Adams4Syed Masud Ahmed5BRAC James P. Grant BRAC School of Public Health, BRAC UniversityBRAC James P. Grant BRAC School of Public Health, BRAC UniversityBRAC James P. Grant BRAC School of Public Health, BRAC UniversityDepartment of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill UniversityBRAC James P. Grant BRAC School of Public Health, BRAC UniversityAbstract Background The dynamic intersection of a pluralistic health system, large informal sector, and poor regulatory environment have provided conditions favourable for ‘corruption’ in the LMICs of south and south-east Asia region. ‘Corruption’ works to undermine the UHC goals of achieving equity, quality, and responsiveness including financial protection, especially while delivering frontline health care services. This scoping review examines current situation regarding health sector corruption at frontlines of service delivery in this region, related policy perspectives, and alternative strategies currently being tested to address this pervasive phenomenon. Methods A scoping review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) was conducted, using three search engines i.e., PubMed, SCOPUS and Google Scholar. A total of 15 articles and documents on corruption and 18 on governance were selected for analysis. A PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist was filled-in to complete this report. Data were extracted using a pre-designed template and analysed by ‘mixed studies review’ method. Results Common types of corruption like informal payments, bribery and absenteeism identified in the review have largely financial factors as the underlying cause. Poor salary and benefits, poor incentives and motivation, and poor governance have a damaging impact on health outcomes and the quality of health care services. These result in high out-of-pocket expenditure, erosion of trust in the system, and reduced service utilization. Implementing regulations remain constrained not only due to lack of institutional capacity but also political commitment. Lack of good governance encourage frontline health care providers to bend the rules of law and make centrally designed anti-corruption measures largely in-effective. Alternatively, a few bottom-up community-engaged interventions have been tested showing promising results. The challenge is to scale up the successful ones for measurable impact. Conclusions Corruption and lack of good governance in these countries undermine the delivery of quality essential health care services in an equitable manner, make it costly for the poor and disadvantaged, and results in poor health outcomes. Traditional measures to combat corruption have largely been ineffective, necessitating the need for innovative thinking if UHC is to be achieved by 2030.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08975-0Health-sector corruptionGood governanceFrontline health care servicesFrontline health care providersUHCLMICs |
| spellingShingle | Nahitun Naher Roksana Hoque Muhammad Shaikh Hassan Dina Balabanova Alayne M. Adams Syed Masud Ahmed The influence of corruption and governance in the delivery of frontline health care services in the public sector: a scoping review of current and future prospects in low and middle-income countries of south and south-east Asia BMC Public Health Health-sector corruption Good governance Frontline health care services Frontline health care providers UHC LMICs |
| title | The influence of corruption and governance in the delivery of frontline health care services in the public sector: a scoping review of current and future prospects in low and middle-income countries of south and south-east Asia |
| title_full | The influence of corruption and governance in the delivery of frontline health care services in the public sector: a scoping review of current and future prospects in low and middle-income countries of south and south-east Asia |
| title_fullStr | The influence of corruption and governance in the delivery of frontline health care services in the public sector: a scoping review of current and future prospects in low and middle-income countries of south and south-east Asia |
| title_full_unstemmed | The influence of corruption and governance in the delivery of frontline health care services in the public sector: a scoping review of current and future prospects in low and middle-income countries of south and south-east Asia |
| title_short | The influence of corruption and governance in the delivery of frontline health care services in the public sector: a scoping review of current and future prospects in low and middle-income countries of south and south-east Asia |
| title_sort | influence of corruption and governance in the delivery of frontline health care services in the public sector a scoping review of current and future prospects in low and middle income countries of south and south east asia |
| topic | Health-sector corruption Good governance Frontline health care services Frontline health care providers UHC LMICs |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08975-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nahitunnaher theinfluenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia AT roksanahoque theinfluenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia AT muhammadshaikhhassan theinfluenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia AT dinabalabanova theinfluenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia AT alaynemadams theinfluenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia AT syedmasudahmed theinfluenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia AT nahitunnaher influenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia AT roksanahoque influenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia AT muhammadshaikhhassan influenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia AT dinabalabanova influenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia AT alaynemadams influenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia AT syedmasudahmed influenceofcorruptionandgovernanceinthedeliveryoffrontlinehealthcareservicesinthepublicsectorascopingreviewofcurrentandfutureprospectsinlowandmiddleincomecountriesofsouthandsoutheastasia |