SOCIOLOGICAL ENQUIRY ABOUT PERCEIVED CORRUPTION IN HEALTH FACILITIES IN THE TAMALE METROPOLIS OF GHANA

Abstract

Corruption and abuse of office are serious social cankers and are becoming daily affairs in most Ghanaian public health facilities. This paper focuses on health sector corruption and abuse of office in the public healthfacilities in Tamale Metropolis in Northern Region of Ghana. The paper seeks to contribute to the ongoing debate ofalleged corruptions and diversion of patients by doctors and nurses to their private facilities. Corruption in health care tends to increase the social and economic burden of health care and scaresaway many poor and vulnerable people from accessing health care in the hospitals. It denies the poor accesses to health care and also compels people to resort to self-medication which is dangerous to their well being . Poor citizens travel from very far places after paying for high cost of transportation, are asked to pay more charges for drugs and services even though they may be on the National Health Insurance Scheme. This study was conducted in some selected public health facilities and communities in Tamale, the Northern Regional Capital. Data was gathered using interviews, focus group discussions and observations in these facilities. The paper identified that petty corruption is well grounded in most of the health facilities and most departments and persons working in the hospitals are engaged in various forms of corruption. The paper concludes that to effectively fight health service corruption and abuse of office by health workers, there must be a form of interplay of awareness, prevention, detection and sanctions of corrupt officials.