Accra (Greater Accra Region) 12 Oct 1998 Admissions into senior secondary schools and health care delivery, particularly in the area of surgery and mortuary services, are riddled with corruption, a summary of a survey on Public Perceptions of Corruption indicates.

The survey was conducted by the Centre for Democracy and Development, an Accra-based Non-Governmental Organisation, with funding from Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). The survey was conducted in September 1998 and covered experiences of respondents from 1996 to 1998. Surprisingly, respondents in the survey, especially in the Ashanti Region, felt it was a waste of time as they said: ''Corruption is part of the African; there is nothing wrong to give something to a public officer to achieve goals such as gaining admission for your ward or paying something to a health practitioner to be given a fairer treatment at the hospital''.

The report said some respondents refused to answer questions for the simple reason that "the government which is to address this problem is corrupt''.

Of the 1,200 respondents in the survey, 46 per cent had given ''something'' to gain admissions for their wards. Out of these, 32 per cent had given willingly while 29 per cent had succumbed to a demand for bribe.

For those who did "something", the reasons for 20 per cent were mainly that it was "the practice" while 19 per cent said "the situation demanded it''.

About 76 per cent of respondents felt that such practices of "doing something" are widespread in the educational institutions they dealt with.

While 53 per cent of respondents felt the practice of ''doing something'' to gain admission was not good, only 20 per cent said ways should be found to prevent or minimise the practice. Respondents were divided on whether they thought Ghanaian society supported the practice of ''doing something'' while 49 per cent felt the society supported it, 51 per cent did not think so. Only 49 per cent of respondents said they did not report the demands for bribe.

With regard to the degree of corruption in the health services, the study said this was lower than that in the education sector even as 47 per cent of respondents said ''yes'' to giving ''something'' before getting refrigeration for their deceased.

Eighty-two per cent of all the respondents had something doing with education and health services in the study period.

Some 22 per cent of the respondents who had to pay an extra fee to get some form of assistance in the health services reported that it facilitated their ability to receive quick attention.

Nearly 80 per cent of respondents thought it was wrong to give money to influence hospital staff but 21 per cent thought it was okay.

Fifty-one per cent of those who paid ''something'' said they did not report the incidents since they thought it was normal, or will affect their next visit or for fear of victimisation.

The study suggests greater transparency and openness and cited the Catholic School System in the Upper West Region where detailed information is provided to stop people from bribery or using contacts to gain admission for their wards.

It also suggests more health facilities so that people will move from one to another when they are being forced to do ''something''. GRi