National consultant to conduct a review of Prime Minister Decision No 2188/QD-TTg regulating the payment for the centralized procurement of ARV using Health Insurance Fund and support for ARV users

CALL FOR CONSULTANCY SERVICE

 National consultant to conduct a review of Prime Minister Decision No 2188/QD-TTg regulating the payment for the centralized procurement of ARV using Health Insurance Fund and support for ARV users

I.        BACKGROUND

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) Transition of TB services into SHI.

The Prime Minister Decision No 2188/Q?-TTg Regulating the payment for the centralized procurement of ARV using the Health Insurance Fund and support for ARV users has taken effect since November 15, 2016. It only permits subsidies for PLHIV using ARVs procured through open bidding, not price negotiation. In 2021, TLD and TLE400 were procured through price negotiation to cover 90 percent of PLHIV on first-line ARV regimens. Their inability to receive subsidies meant subsidy provision was inequitable. After six years of implementation, the Prime Minister requested the MOH/Legal department in collaboration with the MOH/VAAC to conduct a review of this PM Decision implementation. Accordingly, the MOH/Legal department and MOH/VAAC have sent a request for technical support from LHSS in conducting the review. Findings from the review will provide a rationale for revising policies on ARV copayment subsidies and propose an option to amend, supplement or replace the Prime Minister's Decision 2188/QD-TTg [dated November 15, 2016] regulating the payment for the centralized procurement of ARV using Health Insurance Fund and support for ARV users.

II.      TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

2.1.    Tasks:

The consultant will undertake the following tasks:

• Closely work with the Legal department of MOH to develop a draft reviewproposal with a clear timeline to consult relevant MOH departments and stakeholders to get consensus and implement the review.
• Design data collectiontools for both qualitative and quantitative methods.
• Support the Legal department in conducting the data collection.
• Conduct data screening, validation, compilation, and analysis.
• Work with the Legal department to conduct technical discussions with related departments/units to present the preliminary results and collect comments.
• Draft the review report for the Legal department to finalize and submit it to MOH leadership and the government.

2.2.    Deliverables:

• The draft review proposal and data collection tool
• Presentations to share during technical discussions on the proposal and preliminary results
• The draft and final assessment report
• Data file with all informant responses
• Consultant monthly reports on the progress of task implementation
• A final consultancy report.

Timeline for deliverables submission:

III.    SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS

• Graduate degree in public health or relevant disciplines
• Minimumfive years of relevant work experience, particularly in public health, health financing, and HIV policies
• Knowledge and understanding of health policy impact analysis or legal issues in health management
• Experience in conducting review and/or analysis of health policies related to HIV financing is an advantage
• Skills in quantitative and qualitative data collection
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with government counterparts and coordinate various actors such as different Ministry of Health units, other ministries and government agencies, donors, and NGOs
• Language requirement: Vietnamese. Basic knowledge of English is an advantage.

IV.   MANAGEMENT OF THE ASSIGNMENT

All deliverables must be reviewed by the Social Health Insurance and Finance Technical Officer and approved by the Technical Director. The consultant can direct questions to the Technical director throughout the consultancy.

Contract duration: from April through September 2023 for a total of sixty working days (60) working days.

To apply, please send your CV and an application letter to the following email: [email protected]

Deadline: April 17, 2023

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.