Corruption in Indonesian Health Procurement: Strengthening Integrity Mechanisms for Public Hospital Pharmaceutical Purchasing
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65815/xpveny64Keywords:
Health procurement, pharmaceutical corruption, public hospitals, integrity, IndonesiaAbstract
Public procurement of medicines and medical supplies involves substantial government expenditure and directly affects the quality and accessibility of healthcare. Corruption in pharmaceutical procurement can increase prices, reduce product quality, distort supplier competition, and ultimately harm patients. This article examines corruption risks in pharmaceutical procurement by Indonesian public hospitals. Using normative juridical and policy analysis, the study evaluates procurement regulation, supplier selection, pricing mechanisms, conflicts of interest, and institutional oversight. The article argues that conventional procurement controls may be insufficient when procurement decisions involve complex technical specifications and information asymmetry between hospitals and suppliers. The study proposes an integrity framework incorporating transparent procurement data, standardized specifications, conflict-of-interest declarations, supplier due diligence, price benchmarking, and independent audits. Particular attention is given to the role of hospital procurement committees and relationships between healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical suppliers. The article concludes that anti-corruption policy in healthcare procurement should integrate financial accountability with patient-centered considerations because procurement corruption has consequences extending beyond public finances to the right to accessible and quality healthcare.
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