Knowledge of Hospital Staff on the Procedures and Obstacles to Public Procurement in Ghana

Healthcare is an essential part of human life and cannot be disregarded whether for an individual, a family or a state. A conscious and planned effort must be taken by the state to make sure that goods and services are made available and accessed through effective and efficient procurement systems. The purpose of the study was to examine hospital staff knowledge on application, procedures and obstacles to public procurement at Oda Government Hospital in Ghana. A mixed method approach using survey and interview guide was used to solicit information from the hospital staff and the Procurement Manager. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and Kendall Coefficient of Concordance. The study revealed that the staff had knowledge on procurement procedures and tried to follow the recommended guidelines. The highest mean was scored for application and familiarity with the Public Procurement Act (PPA) whereas verification of documentation, opening tenders for bidding and publishing contract awards were the key procurement procedures.Major obstacles identified included bureaucracy, lack of skilled personnel and adhoc membership of the tender team. The Medical Superintendent and the hospital Administrator were the officers responsible for policy approval and supervision of the Public Procurement Act. There is a need to enforce adherence to the Public Procurement Act and ensure regular training of staff and stronger stakeholder participation in the procurement processes to equip the staff with knowledge and skills on the application of the Public Procurement Act.