Public Procurement in the Health Services: Application, Compliance and Challenges

Abstract

Public procurement is a strategic partner in achieving the public good. The purpose of the study was to examine the public procurement in the health services. A mixed method approach through the survey with Pearson Correlation and Kendall Coefficient of Concordance aided the analysis of the study. The study found that training enhanced the application knowledge whereas documentation verification was a key compliance modality. The bureaucracy was a challenge while the Medical Superintendent and the hospital Administrator were the officers for policy approval and supervision of the Public Procurement Act. The paper suggests the need for regular training of staff and stronger stakeholder participation in the procurement processes.