Mapping the Nature,Drivers,Effects and Responses to Corruption in the Procurement of Pharmaceuticals in Anglophone Africa: A Scoping Review of Literature

Abstract

Expenditure on pharmaceuticals comprises a large share of health budgets. It involves many different actors, often working out of the public gaze, making the process ‘corruption-attractive’ and hard to monitor. Given the indispensable contributions of pharmaceuticals to health outcomes, it is essential that they are available at the right time and at the lowest prices. This requires the process to be as transparent and accountable as possible. But first, it is important to understand the system and the obtainable corruption concerns that impact it, as well as what works. This is the essence of a scoping review on the subject, focusing on Anglophone sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We focused on the literature written in English from 2008 onward. After screening, 52 publications were reviewed, and the findings were synthesised and presented thematically. Findings from the reviewed literature demonstrate that corruption is widespread in pharmaceutical procurement, with consequences for revenue generation, utilisation and public confidence in health facilities, as well as the finances and health outcomes of service users. There is a need to devise a multi-dimensional approach to interventions, as most of the reviewed literature reckoned.