This Anti-Corruption Helpdesk brief was produced in response to a query from a U4 Partner Agency. The U4 Helpdesk is operated by Transparency International in collaboration with the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre based at the Chr. Michelsen Institute.
Query
What are the latest best practices for addressing and mitigating corruption in public health procurement? Please provide evidence from around the world and, if possible, from the Central Asian region.
Summary
Public health procurement is among the most corruption-prone areas of government spending. Combining high financial value, complex technical specifications, and multiple public and private actors, it creates structural opportunities for abuse at every stage of the procurement cycle. This Helpdesk Answer reviews evidence on approaches to mitigate these risks across the procurement cycle. Findings show that no single intervention is sufficient: effective mitigation requires combining open, competitive procedures with enforceable legal frameworks, digital transparency tools, and independent oversight. In Central Asia, despite meaningful legal reforms, enforcement gaps and weak institutional capacity remain critical barriers. Strengthening oversight independence, civic engagement, and sanctioning credibility are priorities for development professionals supporting governance reform.
Contents
- Background
- Corruption risks across the procurement cycle
- Approaches to mitigating corruption risks in health procurement
- Conclusion
- References
Authors
Sebastiana A. Etzo
Reviewers
Altynai Myrzabekova, Antonio Greco, Caitlin Maslen, Charlotte Hine and Jamie Bergin (TI)
Tom Wright (TI Global Health)
Daniela Cepeda Cuadrado (U4)
Taryn Vian (Lone Mountain Global)
Date
22/04/2026
