The Impact of Acts of Corruption on the Enjoyment of the Right to Health

Abstract

The health sector is highly prone to corruption. In some countries, the health sector is considered to be the most corrupt sector of all. Health sector corruption deprives people of access to health care and leads to poor health outcomes. Corruption has for example been negatively associated with child and infant mortality, with the likelihood of an attended birth, with immunisation coverage and with low birth weight. As such, corruption potentially violates the ‘right to the highest attainable standard of health’ as set forth in a number of international human rights treaties. This report assesses how corruption impacts upon the right to health and how the right to health can be used as a tool to address health sector corruption.