Today, Guatemala launched its first Infrastructure Transparency Index (ITI), and 10th independent review report, which focuses on the health sector. 

Their ITI highlights a strong cumulation of their 10+ years of membership, with one of the highest scores from any member. Their results reflect 30 institutions, representing 87% of the budget for public works, with a score of 65.34/100. 

The ITI evaluates infrastructure transparency across four areas:

• the enabling environment represented by the regulatory framework and national digital platforms;
• the capacities and processes that facilitate transparency in the institutions that carry out public works;
• inclusive citizen participation in the construction of public works; and
• the publication of information in the project cycle. 

In all four dimensions, they scored above 50/100, with publication of information being their highest-scoring dimension, at 73.05/100. The results showed that they have a strong and robust legal framework, transparency standards, and highlights the progress that they have made in proactive transparency.

Meanwhile, their independent review report sets out progress and impact from previous reports and the current situation with public health infrastructure strategy in the country, including economically, politically and legally, contractors, monitoring processes and challenges faced. 

It then looks at key aspects for several health centres and hospitals of the infrastructure process including:

• the management of procurement, amounts, payment, deadline, project visit, and contracts, supervision, scope and dimension; 
• design and construction process; 
• level of data publication; 
• financing processes; 
• efficiency and challenges; 
• field visits.

There were key recommendations such as : 

• improved mitigation measures; 
• stringent deadlines; 
• use of Guatemala’s data portal
• better considerations around operation and maintenance; 
• meeting data publication measures.

Guatemala has gone from strength to strength, including their work with academia, and their work in difficult political contexts being showcased in our impact story.