E-drug: Vacancies within MSF
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Dear all,
Within Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) we created two new posts for regional
pharmacists, located in Central America and South-East Asia. We invite you
to apply by e-mail before 30th of April.
Margriet den Boer
Pharmacist MSF Holland
margriet_den_boer@amsterdam.msf.org
V A C A N C I E S Regional Pharmacists in Central America and South East
Asia
Context
MSF has a strict policy concerning Local Purchase of Medical Supplies,
intended to avoid potential problems with the quality of the medical
supplies in the countries where we work. Local aggravating factors may
include: weak governmental control on the quality, low standards for
quality, illicit circuits within the market, and fake products. When Local
Purchase of Medical Products is necessary in a given country and has been
approved by the medical director of the section, a competent person will be
identified within each mission to be responsible for local purchase. A
Regional Pharmacist is needed to be the reference person and to supervise
the evolution and correct implementation of MSF Policy.
There is also a need to increase awareness of the problem of drug
quality with the government and the relevant agencies involved. Besides,
there is the need for pharmaceutical assistance at field and national level
to increase access to recent medicines, still patented in Europe. Those
drugs cannot be exported trough MSF regular and secured channels.
Place within the organisation
- Hierarchically accountable to the Director of the Medical Department from
one of the MSF Operational Sections, where the person in charge of the
technical back up is located.
- With a technical reference (one pharmacist) based in the medical
department of the operational sections
- He/she will be always supported by the Co-ordinator of Access to Recent
Medicines within the Access to Essential Medicines team for all issues
related to recent patented medicines.
- The administrative back up will be in one of the sections, according to
easiness (same for other medical regional positions).
Main purpose of the job
- To propose solutions for the supply of medicines to MSF projects in the
region, taking into account legal and quality issues
- To ensure these solutions, once approved by Medical Department in HQ (of
the project's own section), are followed and implemented by the teams in
the region.
- To evaluate the relevance of such solutions in a continuous way.
- To build awareness of the quality problems of medical supplies with all
relevant authorities and implementing agencies.
- To ensure continuous evaluation of quality of chosen solutions.
- Contribute to building a body of knowledge on global availability of
affordable (generic) alternatives for otherwise expensive essential
medicines (such as second line treatment)
Core responsibilities and tasks
For each of the countries :
1. Initial assessment:
- description of the current situation concerning MSF supply (information
available from previous evaluations of the area),
- legal aspects on purchasing and importing pharmaceutical products as
NGO, including products under International Control,
- evaluation of quality control performed by the Local Authorities and
its regulation,
2. identification of suppliers:
- Identification and evaluation of most optimal sources for medicines for
MSF projects , according to quality standards, price, feasibility (and
sustainability if needed):
- MSF supply centres in Europe
- Local manufacturers,
- Wholesalers,
- Governmental supply centre,
- Other NGOs or Non-profit Institution's supply centres,
- In case local or regional purchase is considered the best option for
some pharmaceuticals: Establishment of a list of selected suppliers and a
plan for continuous quality monitoring, both to be approved by the medical
director in HQ.
- Compile and up-date documentation for each product (database): selected
supplier, qualitative and legal dossier, and prices.
- Follow-up of the "List of Selected Suppliers", and re-evaluation of
potential sources as needed,
- Management of any eventual problem with the suppliers and/or the
products3,
3. Technical back up for the MSF projects and for their local pharmacist
- Active monitoring and follow-up of the implementation of purchasing
procedures agreed upon in MSF (Guidelines of local supply of
pharmaceuticals products), through reports, briefings, field visits and
communication and training the responsible person within MSF mission.
- Technical back up for questions concerning preservation of products,
- Assess the need for a local pharmaceutical support, and, when relevant,
training, monitor and follow-up of the post.
4. Building awareness in countries
- Contact person with Local authorities of Pharmaceutical products within
Ministry of Health,
- Network with other organizations and local authorities to improve the
quality of medical products in the country, if relevant,
5. Access to new treatments
- For recent (patented) medicines to be used in MSF projects, when not
available in the country, or at prohibitive price:
Propose a solution to increase availability at affordable prices, taking
into account both local and international information concerning patent
status , as well as local and international possible sources , and local
pharmaceutical regulations, and in narrow contact with other relevant
actors (NGOs, Institutions, Ministry of Health),
- Contribute to advise and communicate on other eventual problems linked
to the MSF activities such as absence of an efficient treatment for a given
disease, or national difficulties on supplying of older drugs because of
the abandon by the pharmaceutical industry.
Requirements
Training
- Masters Degree on Pharmacy, (or equivalent diploma according to the
country of origin of the pharmacist)
- Preferably with Specialty on Industry,
- Preferably, Public Health and/or Quality Management training.
Experience
- Minimum 2 years field experience with MSF or other relief organizations,
in projects with a high component on Pharmaceuticals management, preferably
in the region,
- Experience in auditing pharmaceutical factories
- Preferably experience with Pharmaceuticals Supply in developing
countries,
- Public health experience, in the field of Essential Drugs or National
Drug Policies, added advantage.
Linguistic competence
Fluency in English.
For the Central America position: fluency in Spanish as well, Portuguese
added advantage.
For the South East Asia position: French added advantage.
Particularities
- Mature, with strong interpersonal and organizational skills
- Ability to work and report independently as a consultant
- Willingness to travel regularly.
- Capable of representing MSF at relevant events and technical meetings
Salary & working conditions
Equivalent to a medical coordinator
The position is open for one year and extendible after evaluation and
decision by the medical directors.
The person will be based in one of the MSF office providing the direct
administrative support.
Job location for the Central America position:
To be preferably based in Guatemala, with frequent trips to the other
Central American countries (Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador). Other
countries such as Mexico, Brazil or Colombia could be added in a second
phase of implementation. Visits to manufacturers in other countries of the
region (Costa Rica e.g.) might be needed. Exceptionally (to be agreed
upon) evaluation in Equator, Colombia and Peru (extra short terms visits
from the pharmacist may be needed if there is an urgent need in some
areas).
Job location for the South East Asia position:
To be preferably based in Cambodia or Thailand, with frequent trips to
the other countries in the region: Burma, China and Indonesia. Other
countries such as the Philippines, East Timor, Laos (if new projects are
developed) could be added in a second phase of implementation. Visits to
manufacturers in other countries of the region (Vietnam e.g.) might be
needed (extra short terms visits from the pharmacist may be needed if there
is an urgent need in some areas).
Please send your written application together with an updated CV to MSF
Holland for the attention of Astrid Strijk, HRM-Office, before 30 April
2001 by e-mail: astrid_strijk@amsterdam.msf.org
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