Country: Somalia
Closing date: 27 Apr 2016
1.Background/IRC Summary
The International Rescue Committee responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers help to people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. IRC is currently working in Somalia in Banadir, Mudug and Gaalgaduud regions, supporting various health facilities.
To meet the increasing needs of good pharmaceutical and health products management at various drug stores and health facility level, a formal model of increasing health facility system capacity and staff skills in a sustainable way is required. A key strategy, which standardizes systems and practice through the use of Standard Operating Procedures, (SOPs) is being pursued. IRC will apply this to various drug stores and health facilities which it supports.
In 1985, the World Health Organization defined the rational use of medicines as requiring that “patients receive medications appropriate to their clinical needs, in doses that meet their individual requirements, for an adequate period of time, and at the lowest cost to them and their community”. Under this initiative, IRC will document medicines use practice and implement appropriate educational and management interventions to promote the rational use of medicines.
2.Main Goal
The key role will be to ensure proper inventory management to conduct quarterly inventories, providing a tool that would better calculate average monthly consumptions and lead times and thereby better inform procurement based on stocks available. Additionally, the consultant will be required to work with the field based staff to assess the drugs requisition, consumption, and prescription tools in place as well as assess the current warehouse tools in use and assist in coming up with standardized tools across program sites that are recommended by WHO and are in line with the IRC pharmacy and Global Supply Chain manuals. The consultant will also be expected to conduct Good Storage and Distribution Practices (GSP/GDP) audits (using WHO MQAS referential[1]) and roll out the inventory management assessment tool (IMAT).
3.Scope of work
The consultant will conduct a quality assurance study of the main pharmacy stores and the drug stores within the 8 supported health facilities in Somalia and the main pharmacy warehouses in the three health project sites, and later develop an inventory management tool to conduct quarterly inventories, and provide a tool to calculate monthly consumptions and lead times. Additionally, the consultant will work with the senior health management and staff at field level to develop adequate pharmacy data collection tools that would feed adequately into the database that will also be finally developed to consolidate the collected information.
The consultant will train staff on the new tools and database developed, the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and roll out IMAT, and later compile a comprehensive report incorporating all the above deliverables.
4.Objectives
To conduct GSP/GDP audits in the main pharmacy stores and drug stores within the 8 supported health facilities in Somalia. This should also detail the pharmacy conditions in which drugs are stored and provide recommendations on the same.
To develop an inventory management tool that would better calculate average monthly consumptions, minimal stocks and lead times that would better inform procurement based on stocks available.
To assess and develop new pharmacy tools (drug requisitions, consumption, stock levels, prescription and drug inventory) that will strengthen pharmacy data collection, collation, analysis and interpretation based on disease morbidities and thresholds relevant to each program site
To design interventions to be employed to address challenges found with regard to the medicines storage, prescribing, dispensing and use
To conduct training on tools developed, interventions and SOPs and roll out IMAT.
To make recommendations on non-training interventions that IRC may implement to support pharmacy system management and performance to promote the rational use of medicines.
5.Key Deliverables Expected (in 6 weeks):
- Initial inception report detailing the methodology to be used to assess, review, develop pharmacy tools and the required database. IRC will require approval of the proposed methodologies, procedures to be used and tools to be incorporated before the consultancy can begin
- A pharmacy database that incorporates the inventory management tool, to calculate monthly consumptions and lead times and stocks to be procured
- A report on performance of the main pharmacy stores and drug stores within the 8 health facilities and the capacity of the pharmacy staff within each field site to understand and adequately manage the warehouse and facility stores
- A report on 1 week training workshop implemented and a comprehensive report detailing all the activities undertaken
- Specific activity plan in advance (For the purpose of monitoring).
- The tentative work plan to be employed will be as follows:
Week 1: Development of the inception report and assessment of the 8 facilities
Week 2: Design of the adapted tools, SOPs and adapted training
Week 3: 1 week training/workshop-theory
Week 4: Intervention/implementation and roll out of IMAT (1 day per facility)
Week 5: Continue supervision/implementation
Week 6: Debriefing on outcome of consultancy to Senior Management Team and finalization of consultancy report.
6.Education Required Skills and Experience
- Advanced degree or doctorate in pharmacy with related extensive field experience in analyzing pharmaceutical tools
- 4 + years’ experience in conducting and developing/designing pharmacy supply chain systems and tools
- Proven expertise and experience in pharmaceutical management
- Proven experience in working with a team of field staff, motivating them and training them to better manage pharmaceutical supplies would be preferred
- Good analytical and communication skills.
- Understanding of institutional donors’ policies relating to pharmaceutical procurement and management.
- Proficiency in the Microsoft Office package.
Experience and knowledge of Quality Assurance, GSP and GDP requirements. Consultants should include the following considerations in their technical and financial proposals
No costs associated with preparing the application will be met by IRC
MINIMUM CRITERIA FOR SUBMISSION OF THE PROPOSAL FOR THE BID
The training consultant /institution should submit a technical and a financial proposal and is expected to demonstrate that it has a track record of not less than three (3) years of experience executing similar assignments.Qualifications as specified in section (6) and proven experience in conducting such assignments.**
1. Contractual issues
- The IRC will provide the following at no cost to the consultant:
- Travel costs (to and from – Nairobi and within Somalia)**
- The consultant / team must comply with The IRC rules and procedures related to security and relations with the media
- Security would be provided and organized by The IRC team
2.Others
The consultant will work closely with IRC’s Deputy Director for Programs, Health Coordinator and Health Coordinator Assistant and liaise with the MoH and IRC partners in Mogadishu.
How to apply:
If you feel you/your organization fit the required profile and are available for the assignment, please submit a short technical proposal providing detailed budget breakdown, along with brief technical bio data of the core team members and evidence of similar work undertaken recently. Submit via email to ircsomaliajobs@rescue.org. Please include the name and telephone number of the person who will be the contact person for the Application.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Application Deadline: 27th April 2016