National Consultant - Bauchi at Malaria Consortium

Description

• It is important to demonstrate accountability in the management of all SPAQ used during the 2024 round of SMC implementation.
• Each blister of SPAQ provides the opportunity to prevent malaria and safe the life of a child. A good commodity management system should therefore minimize losses/wastages and ensure an uninterrupted availability of SPAQ to ensure maximum number of children are reached to prevent them from coming down with malaria.
• Also, commodities should also not filter into the private sectors to be sold. In 2024 SMC campaign, management of SPAQ was done through the state supply chain system and handled by Government staff with support from a supply chain officer from Malaria Consortium.
• There is need to audit the commodity management to ascertain that the commodities were managed well. The audit is also necessary to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the supply chain system for the purpose of providing feedback for subsequent interventions. It is also the responsibility of Malaria Consortium to demonstrate judicious use and accountability for the commodities.
• These auditors are expected to provide objective and professional opinion on level of accountability demonstrated in the management of SPAQ during 2024 SMC intervention

The Objective of the Assignment
Specific Objectives:

• Review and finalize Malaria Health Product Management Audit protocol and Tools
• To determine the availability and use of relevant tools for proper tracking and control of the distribution at every point in the supply chain
• To determine accuracy of record keeping for key activities such as receiving, warehousing and distribution at each point in the supply chain.
• Ascertain the quantities of individual malaria health products and other commodities that passed through every holding and transit point in the supply chain, including quantities ordered from manufacturer, received at Nigeria port, delivered to State CMS and distributed to health facilities.
• Determine from the service database, quantities of SPAQ used for treatments, including main dosing, re-dosing, after-referral-dosing, wasted and damaged
• Do physical count and document the quantities, conditions and expiry dates of commodity at each state central and LGA stores currently holding SPAQ.
• From 3 - 5 above and annex 1 (page 5), determine loss and wastage rate for the product of interest
• Assess the capacity of the health workers at the facility levels to manage malaria commodities
• Assess the knowledge of health workers involved in the SMC campaign on pharmacovigilance
• Assess the distribution strategy for the commodities to determine compliance with state malaria supply chain management strategy, national policies and procedures as well as best practices for management of malaria commodities.
• Do a rapid assessment of the stock (bad, good or expired)
• Do assessment of the storage conditions for SMC commodities at the state central medical stores and selected health facilities (capacity, environmental conditions, safety and security) and at holding or transient points
• Do an assessment of the availability and compliance with pharmacovigilance process for drug safety during SMC implementation?
• Carry out a survey to private outlets across the states to identify the type and cost of antimalaria sold in the outlets (This will allow for the identification of diverted SPAQ)
• Submit report with appropriate recommendations on key findings.

Profile Requirements

• The ideal National Consultants must have experience managing health commodities which includes handling the documentation and accountability of health products in both private and or public sector and or carrying out research that involves investigation with eyes for details.

In addition, s/he is required to have:

• A minimum of Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy
• Minimum of 3-5 years’ postgraduation experience as a pharmacist involved in the management of health commodities.
• Demonstrable ability to work in a resource scarce environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to give attention to details.
• For this position, previous working experience with MC and in SMC are added advantages.

Expected Output / Deliverables for the state-level consultants:
Assignment report for assigned states to include:

• Availability and use of commodity logistic tools
• The results of the physical count and reconciliation of SPAQ in the selected locations
• The result of assessment of Malaria Health Product stock and store conditions
• Result of the assessment of compliance with the laid down policies and procedures
• Report with recommendations for improvement (as appropriate) and next steps.
• Determine the number of data reviewers that will be required for the audit