81% of Abuja PHCs users not issued receipts – Survey

Acorruption victimisation survey has shown that more than 81 percent of people who use Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the FCT are not issued receipts.

The survey, which was carried out by Tap Initiative for Citizens Development (TICD) and Dataphyte also revealed that the most prevalent form of corruption in the healthcare sector was the collection of financial tips from patients. The survey further revealed that other forms of corruption include inappropriate billing of patients, without receipts, and diversion of patients to their (medical workers) private practices (hospitals and clinics).

The survey was conducted and sampled in the six area councils of the FCT.

The Executive Director of Tap Initiative, Mr. Martin

Obono, said the aim of the research was to investigate the extent to which citizens were victimised when they accessed healthcare facilities.

Mr. Obono said members of households in the area councils were interviewed, and that, “The interview questions were formulated from four specific objectives, which were driven by the initial research questions centred on determining the extent that patients tip healthcare workers to access healthcare services?...To what extent are patients deprived of healthcare service due to inadequate and ineffective healthcare facilities? And finally, to what extent are patients deprived of health services due to corrupt officials in healthcare facilities?”

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dataphyte, Olufemi Joshua, said the study should serve as a tip for the media and civil society organisations (CSO) to carry out undercover investigations to expose the latest ways corruption manifested in the healthcare system, as well as advocate for the right things to be done.

Joshua said, “The findings of this study is important to citizens as it will encourage the sensitisation of patients on their rights in accessing healthcare and reporting unruly behaviour of health workers to the appropriate authorities.”