Integrity in Times of a Pandemic: Pilot Compliance Training for the Healthcare Sector

Integrity is a key distinguishing factor needed for businesses to remain relevant, especially in times of a pandemic. The current Covid-19 pandemic which has impacted all sectors, including the healthcare, has also heightened the risks of corruption. As such, it is critical to create targeted awareness amongst relevant stakeholders to equip them with the knowledge and tools needed to promote transparency and integrity in these sectors.

The Alliance for Integrity as part of its mandate of promoting integrity within the business ecosystem, organised a pilot compliance training for thirteen participants from key stakeholder organisations in the healthcare sector. The training brought together health professionals cutting across administration, procurement, management, and health service providers to build their capacities in good corporate governance strategies, anti-corruption measures, and compliance risk assessment and management. Participants were taken through the Alliance for Integrity’s adapted training modules highlighting the types of corruption as well as internal and external measures that are necessary to counter corruption in the healthcare sector.

Integrity issues that have long existed in the healthcare sector and are being highlighted by the recent Covid-19 pandemic were laid bare for discussions amongst participants. Leading the process, the trainers, Ronke Ampiah, Lead Consultant of Impact Link Consulting and Patrick Kwadzie, Managing Director of Kenycorb Limited, shared practical experiences and internationally accepted best practices within the sector.

The training also provided a platform for participants to share specific examples of corruption within their organisations and in their everyday interactions with customers and key external stakeholders. The topic of grey areas generated an insightful discussion on the challenges related to gifts especially in the healthcare sector.

The participants in their feedback acknowledged the in-depth knowledge gained during the training and summed their satisfaction saying “this training is timely and reflects the current situation within the sector. It is a good programme and should be done for a larger group.” Others openly opted to support the work of the Alliance for Integrity to scaling up the training and getting on board the anti-corruption train.

Gideon Mankralo, Network Manager Ghana and Nigeria of the Alliance for Integrity, thanked everyone involved for their contributions and urged participants to put to work the knowledge gained to improving integrity within the healthcare sector.

Author: Gideon Mankralo