Background
Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Medicines Technologies and Pharmaceutical Services (MTaPS) Program provides pharmaceutical systems strengthening assistance for sustaining improvements in health system performance. The goal of the global, USAID MTaPS Program is to enable low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to strengthen their pharmaceutical systems to ensure sustainable access to and appropriate use of safe, effective, quality assured, and affordable essential medicines and pharmaceutical services. To achieve this goal, USAID MTaPS program has objectives related to improving governance, human and institutional resource capacity, and information for decision making, financing, and services.
USAID MTaPS in collaboration with Kenya’s National Medicines & Therapeutics Committee (NMTC) and other stakeholders revised the Kenya Essential Medicines List (KEML) and incorporatedAccess, WatchandReserve(AWaRe) categorization of antibiotics. AWaRe categorization is intended to help monitor the use of antibiotics, particularly those belonging to theWatchandReservecategories.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and USAID MTaPS program and other partners are offering technical and financial support in the development of a National Medicines Formulary (NMF) manual that incorporates AWaRe categorization of antibiotics. The national formulary will describe medicines, including antimicrobials that are available for use in Kenya and provide information on indications, dosage, length of treatment, interactions, precautions, and contraindications. This will help guide appropriate prescribing of antimicrobials according to AWaRe categorization, in healthcare facilities, leading to better patient care outcomes.
Supervision and reporting responsibility:The consultant will be supervised by the Senior Technical Advisor, GHSA-AMS/IPC at MTaPS Kenya. The consultant will work in collaboration with both the National medicines formulary technical working group and the MTaPS Kenya team.
The purpose of the consultancy is to develop a national medicines formulary (NMF) for use in healthcare settings in Kenya.
The consultant will be expected to carry out and deliver on the following responsibilities:
Technical
Undertake desktop review of other national / healthcare facility formularies – of global, regional and local sources. Develop locally relevant introductory information e.g., purpose, audience, etc. Develop general front matter of the national formulary, e.g., acknowledgements, preface, table of contents, abbreviations, units of measurement, instructions on how to use the formulary, glossary, policies and procedures of the National medicines formulary technical working group (NMF TWG), and general advice to prescribers. Collate and incorporate into the draft inputs from the National medicines formulary technical
working group (TWG) and from stakeholder meetings.
Develop back matter, appendices and index of the draft NMF. Ensure appropriate language, style and presentation of the formulary.
Deliverables
Inception report
Draft National Medicines Formulary
Final National Medicines Formulary
Report on the National Medicines Formulary development process
The durationofthisconsultancyisthirty(30)working days.
Consultant qualification requirements:
Minimum of a Master’s degree in Clinical Pharmacy or related field.
Experience in developing and revising hospital medicines formularies.
Experience with hospital medicines and therapeutics committees.
Availability within short notice.
Ability to work rapidly, both in person and remotely, with team members in various locations.
Excellent written and verbal communication, ability to generate lucid reports, and presentation skills in English.
Must be a result-oriented team player with excellent interpersonal skills, including enthusiasm, tact, diplomacy and a high level of integrity.
The consultancy fee will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate. The consultancy fee will be agreed by the consultant and Management Sciences for Health, informed by the consultant’s prior salary and/or consultancy history.
MSH is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, religion, creed, citizenship, national origin, age, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job requirements. MSH will take affirmative action to ensure that qualified applicants are employed and that employees are treated without regard to their race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran and disability status. In compliance with U.S. Department of Labor Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act, MSH has developed and maintains an affirmative action program and plan.
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