Fighting against Corruption and Bribery in Public Procurements during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The transfer of public resources to the private sector through public procurement procedures opens an unprecedented opportunity for corruption and bribery. Moreover, the complex structure of the health sector leaves the sector more vulnerable to corruption and bribery than other sectors. Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of corruption and bribery in public procurements has increased more than ever. Corruption and bribery cause substandard and counterfeit products to be released to the market by disrupting the health sector and market, damage the confidence in public procurements, cause the waste of resources, and most importantly risk the lives of millions of people. Although governments experience an extraordinary crisis, we claim that the most crucial arms in the fight against corruption and bribery during public procurements in the health sector are transparency and accountability