Jillian Clare Kohler
1*1 WHO Collaborating Center for Governance, Accountability and Transparency in the Pharmaceutical Sector and Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Abstract
In this commentary, I argue that corruption in health systems is a critical and legitimate area for research in order
to strengthen health policy goals. This rationale is based partly on citizen demand for more accountable and
transparent health systems, along with the fact that the poor and vulnerable suffer the most from the presence
of corruption in health systems. What is more, there is a growing body of literature on the impact of corruption
in the health system and best practices in terms of anti-corruption, transparency and accountability (ACTA)
strategies and tactics within the health system. Still, we need to support ACTA integration into the health system
by having a common definition of corruption that is meaningful for health systems and ensure that ACTA
strategies and tactics are transparent themselves. The 2019 Consultation on a proposed Global Network on
ACTA in Health Systems is promising for these efforts.