E-DRUG: Consultancy service for commodity medical supplies tracking in Malawi
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All communication, including clarification and queries, to be directed to
piutenders@gmail.com
or "Mbaziira Nasser" <mbnatser@yahoo.co.uk>
A. Background
The Ministry of Health (MOH), Health Technical Support Services (HTSS) Directorate supports key pharmaceutical and supply chain management interventions aimed at provision of uninterrupted health products to the population of Malawi across over 730 health facilities. Supply chain decisions are currently driven by data collected using both manual and electronic tools.
Measurable success in supply-chain information management has been registered in the past years. The monthly health facility Logistics Management Information Systems (LMIS) data reporting compliance has increased from 53% in March 2013 to an average of 85% sustained over the past two years. This has empowered the ministry to supervise, monitor and support public health commodities (medicines for HIV,TB, Malaria and others) to a certain extent.
There are different management information systems (MIS) deployed at different levels of the supply chain i.e. Central Medical Store Trust (CMST),Department of HIV/AIDs (Baobab ART) and District Health Offices (Open LMIS), DHIS. These operate with different barcoding systems and are not harmonized. The different systems are not interoperable and collected data cannot be visualized on a single platform to allow for comprehensive supply chain system reporting.
The current electronic systems are unable to track health product inventory management transactions and dispensation at health facility level. This also poses challenges of poor accountability and transparency. These challenges as well as limited human resources, unreliable electricity and internet connectivity, and limited technical support for system maintenance significantly hinder timely decision making.
Objectives
The objectives focus on providing solutions to capture real time health product inventory management and last mile dispensation in all health facilities. A scoping exercise is embedded to inform the next phase of pulling relevant data from all the available solutions into a recommended national system to achieve End-to-End Product tracking system. The whole project will be implemented in a phased manner.
B. Purpose
I. To design suitable technologies capable of capturing consumption data, inventory management and reporting transactions at health facility level. This is aimed at enhancing inventory visibility, accountability, security and planning at all levels of the health care system.
II. To conduct a scoping exercise on Management Information systems in the country and provide recommendations for effective interoperability electronic supply chain systems. This shall enable visualization of supply chain data on a single platform,easing decision making to optimize drug availability and accessibility; thus,improving healthcare treatment outcomes.
C.Objective
1. Design and pilot electronic inventory management and dispensing tools in at least five health facilities. See below for detailed activities, deadlines, and deliverables.
2. Identify ideal Management Information system requirements suitable for Malawi, taking into considerations key challenges in operability and sustainability, human resources and infrastructure. Resource need should also be identified. Results and recommendations should be provided as a business case for End to End commodity tracking.
3 Develop a strategy to create an interface between dispensing and inventory management database and other central databases in the country. This will allow for interoperability Malawi's healthcare Management Information Systems (MIS).
4. Using scoping outcomes, generate required reports formats and fields from the available databases to enable visualization through a Dashboard at central level. This will allow for increased data visibility and transparency to inform improved and timely decision making.
D Specific Activities
The scope of this assignment will include the following activities
I. Review the national supply chain system for public health sector inMalawi from shipments to dispensing at health facilities.
II. Conduct a scoping exercise to identify the existing management information systems (MIS) used in the Malawi's pharmaceutical supply chain system. The scoping should provide answers to the following questions:
- Who are all the stakeholders? create stakeholder mapping
- What types of systems are currently in use in Malawi?
- Conduct a SWOT analysis for each system currently in use. These should provide details on the following items at a minimum;
- What types of reports are generated from these systems?
- Who do the reports target or benefit?
- What types of decisions are made from report utilization?
- What are the data inputs?
- Identify the gaps in the MIS and provide recommendations
- Are there existing coordination and/or collaboration among MIS owners?
- Identify system enablers and critical success factors for successful implementation, risks and risk mitigation plan
III. Conduct a stakeholder's consultative workshop to present and validate the findings of the scoping exercise
IV. Develop a business case for project implementation. This should include a detailed timeline and deliverables. Where applicable, resource needs should be indicated.
V. Design and deploy ideal technologies to capture pharmaceutical consumption data, inventory management transactions, and reporting. The system should include at a minimum the following;
Inventory Management System
Provide real time data on inventory management
Data provided should be hosted online (cloud based) and accessible from any location with internet reception and to any use with log in credentials;
Offline capabilities to continue operations in the absence of internet connectivity (offline client);
Manage stocks in various storage locations (health facilities);
Ability to scan products in and out of inventory and collect data on source and destination (barcode scanning);
Provide an electronic proof of delivery for all products received CMSTor other sources;
Use biometric identification as signatures for receiving or issuing products (finger print scanning);
Monitor stock levels and provide action alerts based on pre-set stock levels;
Able to produce transactional reports based on criteria by health facility, products or any other data entity in the system;
Process internal orders from dispensing points to replenish stock and with appropriate authorizations from heads of department;
Barcode scanners should be able to scan most recent bar codes such as the following: UPC, EAN, CODE 39, CODE 128, ITF, CODE 93, CODE BAR, QR CODE, AZTEC, etc;
Entire system and its accessories (barcode and finger print scanners) should have back up power lasting 48 hours or more;
Management system with different user rights (e.g. scanning, editing, deletion, viewing, admin, etc.)
Compatible and interoperable with existing logistics information systems;
Each transaction to have a unique identifier by which the transaction can be called and audited;
Able to provide audits trails of activities including access rights into the system;
Able to report on stock levels, transit stock, expired drugs, damaged drugs, scanning device locations
Health FacilityDispensing System
Capture details of dispensed drugs.
Patients' confirmation of receipt of medicines using biometric signatures (finger print scanning) medium term plan.
Allow integration of data from different dispensing locations into a central database at health facilities
Interoperability with the Open eLMIS system for logistics reporting and other platforms.
A functionality to order medicines and supplies from the main store,with appropriate authorizations.
VI. Conduct study tours to countries that are successfully implementing electronic end to end commodity tracking and data visualization for pharmaceutical products. The results of this should supplement scoping activities above and inform the selection of appropriate technologies for Malawi's supply chain landscape.
E. Deliverables
A business plan should be presented at the end of the scoping exercise.
Stake holder mapping
Outline of SWOT analysis
Software for inventory management at Health facility level
Software for thelast mile dispensation to patients
System user guides
A report on the pilot of inventory management and end-user dispensing systems
F. Qualifications:
The qualification/capacity of the providers who may include organisations, consortiums shall demonstrate the following:
International experience in analysis, designing and implementing Management Information Systems in public or private Pharmaceutical sector
At least two successful, full-lifecycle, complex Pharmaceutical Information Management systems completed
Strong technical knowledge of supply chain management, specifically around last mile dispensing,distribution and warehouse management systems.
The proposed firm's Team leader and project manager shall have
-10 or more years experience in logistics information management systems;
- an advanced degree in Information Technology, public health, project management or closely related disciplines.
- Knowledge of pharmaceutical management in the public sector is desirable.
- Excellent communication skills both verbal and written with ability to clearly and concisely express ideas and concepts convincingly in written and oral form.
- Outstanding interpersonal skills and ability to interact with individuals at all levels. Ability to work sensitively in multicultural environments and build effective working relationships with stakeholders
- Previous work experience with international organizations, governments of developing countries, international NGOs and other relevant organizations in health sector
G. Level of Effort
The objective and deliverables for this assignment should be completed by the 31st of December 2017, and implementation is planned to start by the 30th of October 2017
H. Location of work
This assignment will be performed in Malawi and may include field visits to sites outsides Lilongwe
I.Technical directions
Technical directions for this assignment will come from the Deputy Director HTSS Pharmaceutical.
Any clarification information only can be obtained from
piutenders@gmail.com
Mbaziira Nasser
Pharmaceutical Management Advisor in Pharmaceuticals
Technical Support Services Directorate
Global Health Supply Chain -
PSM project, MoH, Malawi
"Mbaziira Nasser" <mbnatser@yahoo.co.uk>