title: Corruption in health-care systems and its effect on cancer care in Africa.
abstract: At the government, hospital, and health-care provider level, corruption plays a major role in health-care systems in Africa. The returns on health investments of international financial institutions, health organisations, and donors might be very low when mismanagement and dysfunctional structures of health-care systems are not addressed. More funding might even aggravate corruption. We discuss corruption and its effects on cancer care within the African health-care system in a sociocultural context. The contribution of high-income countries in stimulating corruption is also described. Corrupt African governments cannot be expected to take the initiative to eradicate corruption. Therefore, international financial institutions, health organisations, and financial donors should use their power to demand policy reforms of health-care systems in Africa troubled by the issue of corruption. These modifications will ameliorate the access and quality of cancer care for patients across the continent, and ultimately improve the outcome of health care to all patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Electronic address: s.mostert@vumc.nl.
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mostert
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya.
authors.forename: Festus
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Njuguna
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya.
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olbara
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health and Pediatrics, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya.
authors.forename: Solomon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sindano
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Gadjah Mada University, Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Mei Neni
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Sitaresmi
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Division, Department of Pediatrics, Gadjah Mada University, Dr Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Eddy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Supriyadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology-Hematology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gertjan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaspers
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D044383:Black People; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D003415:Crime / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000191:economics; D057217:Economic Development; D033161:Government Regulation; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration; D028681:Moral Obligations; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration