UN Photo/Bikem Ekberzade
Dependence is compounded in situations where demand for services exceeds the supply, which is common in developing countries. One of the key indicators in this regard is the ratio of medical personnel (especially doctors) to the total population.
One part of this problem is “brain drain,” or when qualified doctors leave their countries for better jobs abroad. Another issue is an inherent uncertainty of demand. It is difficult to predict who will get sick and when. Planning budgets and necessary supplies and services is therefore a difficult task (UNDP 2011a).
UN Photo/Eric Kanalstein
Opaque regulation and under-funding are additional issues (UNDP 2011a) that make the sector susceptible to corruption. Medical personnel’s low salaries are frequently considered a corruption risk, as bribes can be seen as strategies to survive or simply as socially accepted parts of a worker’s remuneration package.
