Ghost Doctors : Absenteeism in Bangladeshi Health Facilities

Chaudhury, Nazmul ; Hammer, Jeffrey S.

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: CERTIFICATION;    COMMUNITIES;    DISPENSARIES;    DISTRICTS;    DOCTORS;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-3065
RP-ID  :  WPS3065

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

The authors report on a study in whichunannounced visits were made to health clinics in Bangladeshwith the intention of discovering what fraction of medicalprofessionals were present at their assigned post. Thissurvey represents the first attempt to quantify the extentof the problem on a nationally representative scale.Nationwide the average number of vacancies over all types ofproviders in rural health centers is 26 percent. Regionally,vacancy rates (unfilled posts) are generally higher in thepoorer parts of the country. Absentee rates at over 40percent are particularly high for doctors. When separatedinto level of facility, the absentee rate for doctors at thelarger clinics is 40 percent, but at the smaller sub-centerswith a single doctor, the rate is 74 percent. Even thoughthe primary purpose of this survey is to document the extentof the problem among medical staff, the authors also explorethe determinants of staff absenteeism. Whether the medicalprovider lives near the health facility, access to a road,and rural electrification are important determinants of therate and pattern of staff absentee rates.