Transparency in Health Engagement Project

The Challenge

Despite recent initiatives to reduce corruption and increase government accountability in Albania, significant problems persist throughout the country with detrimental impacts on the health of the Albanian people. Corruption is a persistent problem that has been normalized within the country. In the health sector, the quality of services remains low with facilities offering a limited scope and quality of care for the community. The Government of Albania’s (GOA) Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan outlines specific steps to identify and pursue cases of corruption.

Overview and Objectives

The USAID-funded Transparency in Health Engagement Project, implemented by URC, aimed to improve health services for Albanian citizens by focusing on corruption and encouraging cooperation among selected independent government institutions, civil society organizations, and media to encourage more responsible governance in the health sector.

The project worked with the High Inspectorate for the Declaration and Audit of Assets and Prevention of Conflict of Interest (HIDAACI), the High State Audit (HSA), the Office of the Ombudsperson, and local civil society organizations (CSOs) to increase governance and transparency in the Albanian health system.

Achievements

The project supported the GOA to build the capacity of the HIDAACI, the HSA, the Ombudsperson, and identified CSOs to achieve the following:

• Generation of evidence through performance audits, complaint investigation, and asset reporting
• Design and implementation of assessments to measure corruption and relevant mediating factors (e.g., control system reviews, etc.)
• Performance of public sector reforms and audits
• Engagement with citizens to use their on-the-ground knowledge of corruption and ideas for possible systems improvements