Increasing Number of People Believe Corruption in the Healthcare System Is Decreasing
More than half (55%) of the country’s residents believe that corruption in Lithuania’s healthcare system is decreasing, according to public and medical professional surveys commissioned by the Ministry of Health. Last year, 6% fewer respondents held this view. Even more positively, healthcare professionals are confident—9 out of 10 (90%) agree that corruption in the system is declining.
“Public trust in the healthcare system is growing, and both residents and medical professionals are increasingly choosing not to tolerate corruption. This means that transparency is becoming a part of our everyday culture,” said Minister of Health Marija Jakubauskienė.
Residents are placing greater trust in the healthcare system and are less likely to give unofficial gifts: 87% of respondents reported not giving unofficial gifts or money to doctors over the past year, up from 76% the previous year.
93% of respondents indicated they had not experienced any pressure to pay unofficially for services.
Meanwhile, 95% of surveyed healthcare professionals stated that they do not tolerate petty corruption or unofficial payments to doctors. Nearly half (48%) reported that no patient had offered unofficial compensation over the past year, while 51% encountered only isolated instances.
The survey also shows increasing civic engagement—one-fifth (21%) of residents said they would report any observed bribery or corruption in healthcare facilities, and another 44% would report it if they knew they would not suffer any negative consequences. Among medical professionals, these figures are even higher—28% and 46%, respectively.
The study was conducted by the public opinion and market research company Spinter Tyrimai from September 17–30, 2025 (residents’ survey) and September 22–October 6, 2025 (healthcare professionals’ survey). A total of 1,018 residents and 392 healthcare specialists participated in the surveys.