Dina Balabanova

🧵 1/ Our new study in BMJ Global Health looks at the role of social capital in tackling - or fuelling - in healthcare systems. With @dinabalabanova.bsky.social and Nigerian colleagues. In Nigeria, we show how personal networks often determine who gets care. Here’s what we found.

This is not an academic exercise. Addressing corruption helps save lives, improve access to essential care and protecting those vulnerable to illicit practices.

We continue this work with #TheLancetGlobalHealthCommissiononAnti-CorruptioninHealth | lnkd.in/ebwCQ9YP
& #AccountabilityinAction Malawi

✅ Creating practical tools, for health care managers, for anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies seeking to address corruption in health. These shed light on processes to address different types of corruption and guide decisions,

Key to this work was breaking the silos between different institutions: health systems management and governance structures and the State Anti-Corruption Strategy Committee and ICPC. The civil society organisation representing users are a key partner in this process.

✅ Consistent stakeholder engagement through policy dialogues, media, community initiatives.
They have set up a process of engagement, to co-create pragmatic and politically viable solutions. This involves diverse groups of stakeholders at all levels of the health system and society.

✅ State-of the art research.
In the past 6 years, the group conducted innovative and rigorous research and published extensively in high-quality journals, thus reaching technical audience. This informs effective policies.

✅ Creating an institutional base.
The group has become a focal point for research on health sector corruption and anti-corruption, in Africa and worldwide. They are often approached to share expertise and inform international anti-corruption efforts.
@ninavdm.bsky.social

I am incredibly privileged to have led the #AccountabilityinAction project with Obinna Onwujekwe and the wonderful team in Health Policy Research Group, Uni Nigeria. How does the group acts on health sector corruption? A thread
@martinmckee.bsky.social @eleanorhutch.bsky.social @lancetgh.bsky.social

1/ How does the COVID Inquiry's Module 2 report align with what we said in @independentsage.bsky.social at the time? A 🧵on Transparency, Early & Decisive Action, Scientific Advice, Integration of Social & Economic Harms, Communication and Behavioural Science, Governance, Data and Preparedness

We often forget how far we have come: Today almost 3/4 of EU electricity generation is from non-fossil energy sources.

It is not long ago that fossil fuels dominated the EU's electricity mix.

This year their share is approaching 1/4 of EU electricity generation.

Source is @ember-energy.org

Our new paper (by @petravarkonyi.bsky.social) shows a link b/n perceived corruption and health outcomes in central & eastern Europe. Expanded coverage isn’t enough—informal payments persist. Real change needs anti-corruption/ACTA tinyurl.com/2ky3rbkc
@martinmckee.bsky.social @obshealth.bsky.social

Addressing Corruption in Crises Matters: Towards effective crisis-responses in the Malawian health system - Governance & Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence

Crises like pandemics, cholera outbreaks & climate disasters don’t just strain health systems — they amplify corruption risks.

New #GIACE blog by Claudia Baez Camargo & @dinabalabanova.bsky.social explores how overlapping emergencies in Malawi opened space for corruption.

🔗 bit.ly/BaselGIACEBlog

Great to see #HSR2026 abstracts open! hsr2026.healthsystemsresearch.org/theme-for-hs... @lucygilson.bsky.social @seyeabimbola.bsky.social @karengrepin.bsky.social @rosemarymorgan.bsky.social @robertmarten.bsky.social @alliancehpsr.bsky.social @dinabalabanova.bsky.social @martinmckee.bsky.social

Excellent opening ceremony for @pen-connect.bsky.social with a reminder of the project aim from Prof Ana Mocumbi

Prof Kerstin Klipstein-Grobusch highlights @who.int PEN & PEN Plus in Mozambique inform @pen-connect.bsky.social bridging levels of NCD care. Support from @ec.europa.eu @gacdmedia.bsky.social 🙏
@martinmckee.bsky.social @dinabalabanova.bsky.social
@hsglobal.bsky.social @alliancehpsr.bsky.social

The search for an internet connection… with thanks to @tolibmirzoev.bsky.social

And one of our first actions was to create a @bsky.app account (of course!)
Follow us @pen-connect.bsky.social if interested in non-communicable disease manage in low and middle income countries
@dinabalabanova.bsky.social
@tolibmirzoev.bsky.social
@eleanorhutch.bsky.social

Great deep dive into complex nature of health systems and non-linear NCD care pathways by @dinabalabanova.bsky.social!!! @eleanorhutch.bsky.social @alliancehpsr.bsky.social @robertmarten.bsky.social @hsr-lshtm.bsky.social @hsglobal.bsky.social

Very exciting and advanced project with our colleagues at @utrechtuniversity.bsky.social and Universidade Eduardo Mondlane uem.mz. We would like to find patient centred and systemic solutions to the growing burden of NCD @tolibmirzoev.bsky.social

7/
We will identify quick wins and systemic change for anti-corruption, engage and foster a movement towards real change. Join us in finding viable solutions. #HealthIntegrity #Anti-corruption
@martinmckee.bsky.social @eleanorhutch.bsky.social @lancetgh.bsky.social‬ @preslavastoeva.bsky.social

6/
With funding and right to health under threat, the time to act is now. Our Lancet GH Commission on Anti-Corruption approach:
🔍 Evidence-based
🌍 Context-specific
🤝 Civil society-led
⚖️ Changing incentives and structures
@martinmckee.bsky.social @eleanorhutch.bsky.social @lancetgh.bsky.social‬

5/
Most anti-corruption efforts fail. Why? They ignore the political and institutional factors underpinning #corruption. To fix corruption we must fix broken health systems and political networks enabling it #PolicyReform
@martinmckee.bsky.social @eleanorhutch.bsky.social @lancetgh.bsky.social‬

4/
Corruption is global and not just a low-income country issue —and so must be our response. From COVID-era procurement scandals to opaque pharma lobbying, some richer countries enable corruption via tax havens/lax oversight
@martinmckee.bsky.social @eleanorhutch.bsky.social @lancetgh.bsky.social‬

3/
From informal payments to rigged procurement of medicines, corruption erodes trust and harms the most vulnerable most. And it’s local and global—from health clinics to offshore tax havens #HealthEquity #Governance
@martinmckee.bsky.social @eleanorhutch.bsky.social @lancetgh.bsky.social‬

2/
Corruption kills - it is linked to higher child and adult mortality, infectious disease, poor mental health, fake medicines. The cost in lives and money is massive #Accountability
@martinmckee.bsky.social @eleanorhutch.bsky.social @preslavastoeva.bsky.social @lancetgh.bsky.social‬

Announcing the Lancet Global Health Commission on anti-corruption in health: a call for a novel approach

1/
🚨 New Lancet Global Health Commission on Anti-Corruption in Health: Corruption - an institutional failure & a global threat
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
#GlobalHealth #AntiCorruption
@martinmckee.bsky.social @eleanorhutch.bsky.social @preslavastoeva.bsky.social @tolibmirzoev.bsky.social

Important paper for our forthcoming #LancetGlobalHealthCommissiononAnti-corruption. A lot can be gained by using AI-enabled approaches but there is a need for new skills, capacities and power to use it for good
We need a nuanced argument @eleanorhutch.bsky.social @anticorruption.bsky.social

6️⃣ The way forward
Invest in:
• Skilled personnel 👩‍💻
• Data interoperability 📂
• Participatory oversight mechanisms 🗳️
• Ethical AI policies 🌐

AI should support—not replace—human judgment.

5️⃣ AI’s dual nature
AI can uncover hidden fraud or enable corruption on an unprecedented scale. Success hinges on who controls the data and tools—governments, civil society, or private entities.