Consultant to Support Developmt of Circular Guilding TB Drug Procurement and Payment

Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Vietnam

A NATIONAL CONSULTANT

To develop a circular on management, use, and payment of the 1st line
TB drugs using the SHI fund

I. BACKGROUND

I.1. Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Project in Vietnam

The global USAID LHSS project helps low- and middle-income countries transition to sustainable, self-funded health finance systems that support high-performing overall health systems. The LHSS activity in Vietnam will work with the Government of Vietnam (GVN) to advance greater local ownership of HIV and TB prevention and control. Led by Abt Associates, the four-year activity will support Vietnam in increasing its domestic financing for HIV and TB services in the context of declining donor funding, in using government resources more efficiently, and in assuming local ownership of HIV and TB prevention and control activities. Specific objectives are: (1) Support the GVN to strengthen its public financial management systems for public sector health and find greater efficiencies in social health insurance (SHI), (2) Increase and improve the efficiency of domestic financing of HIV prevention and treatment services; (3) Strengthen the capacity of Vietnam's supply chain management system; and (4) Integrate TB services into SHI.

I.2. Context of the assignment

As the 1st line TB drugs will be transitioned from the government budget to Social Health Insurance (SHI) from 2022, the NTP has proposed with the MOH leadership a procurement and payment option for SHI-covered TB drugs. This option includes centralized procurement of the TB drugs by the NTP/National Lung hospital and decentralized payment between health facilities and VSS. The management of SHI-covered TB drugs in terms of storing, transportation, reallocation was also proposed to be taken care of by the NTP. In January 2021, the MOH leadership agreed to move forward with this procurement and payment option.

At the MOH meeting on March 4th, the MOH Vice Minister assigned the Department of Health Insurance to assist the NTP and work with VSS in the development of a circular guiding the management, use, and payment of TB drugs procured using the SHI fund. Per LHSS's objective 4 on assisting the transition of TB services into SHI, LHSS will mobilize a national consultant to work with MOH and VSS throughout the development of this circular and further documents guiding the implementation of the circular if needed.

II. TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

Tasks:

• To work with VSS divisions in charge, including the Division of Health Insurance Policy Implementation, the Northern Center for Multi-line payment and Verification, and related divisions at VSS to mobilize and compile their opinions and inputs into the drafting of the circular.
• To support the NTP in consulting VSS on procurement, use, and payment of TB drugs through SHI.
• To support MOH/DHI on the mobilization of VSS's relevant divisions to participate in technical meetings for comment collection and reaching consensus on the circular.

Deliverables:

• Monthly progress updates (short reports) on the task implementation, together with minutes of meetings and technical discussions if relevant.

III. MANAGEMENT OF THE ASSIGNMENT

All deliverables must be reviewed and approved by the LHSS/Governance and Policy Lead. The consultant can direct questions to the LHSS/Governance and Policy Lead throughout the consultancy.

IV. LOCATION AND TIMING

1. Location

The work will be carried out in Hanoi.

2. Timing

The assignment is planned from April through September 30th, 2021.

V. REQUIREMENTS

1. Qualification requirements

• Graduate degree in social or health science, public health, or relevant disciplines.
• Good understanding of Vietnam's health insurance policies.
• Experience in working with relevant divisions at VSS.
• Good understanding of the national TB program.
• Demonstrate ability to work effectively with government agencies, including the MOH, VSS, and NTB program.
• Language requirement: Vietnamese. The ability to speak English would be an advantage.

2. Equipment

The consultants use his/her computer and equipment as necessary to carry out the work.

Note: With respect to any reports, data, or information produced by the consultant in the course of performing tasks under this work order, Abt Associates shall have unlimited rights to use, disclose, reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, perform publicly and display publicly, in any manner and for any purpose, and to have or permit others to do so.

The consultant will fully disclose, deliver, and transfer to Abt Associates and the consultant irrevocably assigns to Abt Associates its entire right, title, and interest in and to any and all ideas, methods, inventions, devices, and improvements, originating, conceived, acquired, or developed by the consultant, either solely or jointly with others, in connections with this Consulting Agreement. The provisions of this paragraph shall survive the expiration or termination of this Consulting Agreement.

To apply, please send your application documents to the following email: [email protected]

Deadline: 10th April 2021

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.