Consultant - Development of Medical Supplies Strategic Plan, Papua New Guinea

Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy/assignment is to provide technical support to the NDoH in developing a Medical Supplies Strategic Plan that is evidence-based, context-specific, aligned with national and provincial health and development strategies, inclusive of all key stakeholders, and feasible, costed, and implementable.

Background

Achieving universal health coverage (UHC) requires access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable medical products, including essential medicines and vaccines. Health or medical supply chain systems are essential for an effective and efficient healthcare system by ensuring the uninterrupted supply of safe, effective, quality-assured essential medicines and health supplies.

The Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG), through the National Department of Health (NDoH), recognizes the critical importance of an efficient, reliable, and sustainable medical supply system to ensure equitable access to essential medicines and health commodities. In light of ongoing challenges in procurement, distribution, and stock management, the NDoH seeks to develop a comprehensive Medical Supplies Strategic Plan (MSSP) to guide reforms and investments over the next 5–10 years, aligned with key national frameworks and priorities, including:

• National Health Plan, 2021–2030, specifically Key Result Area 5 (KRA 5): Strengthening Health Systems, and Objective 5.5 (Improve the medical supply chain to ensure adequate, affordable, and continuous availability of safe and good-quality medicines that can be used rationally at all times).
• National Medicines Policy, whose goal is to ensure that high-quality medicines are accessible and affordable to the entire population at all times and that they are used rationally, outlining the principles for the medicines selection, procurement, storage, inventory management, distribution, use, etc in the country.
• National Health Reform Agenda, which emphasizes strengthening health systems, improving service delivery, and ensuring sustainable access to quality health commodities.
• Strengthening procurement and supply management is one of the strategic priorities of the Papua New Guinea- WHO Country Cooperation Strategy 2024-2028 and for ensuring a resilient health system in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

This MSSP will also reflect international best practices and lessons learned from previous supply chain assessments and interventions.

Deliverables

In collaboration with the NDOH and WHO, the assignment will be carried out through the following approaches:

Situational Analysis

• Review existing policies, strategies, and reports related to medical supplies and logistics.
• Assess the current supply chain system, including procurement, warehousing, distribution, and information system.
• Identify key bottlenecks, risks, and opportunities.
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Facilitate consultations with key stakeholders, including NDoH divisions, provincial health authorities, development partners, and private sector actors..
• Ensure inclusive participation, particularly from rural and remote provinces.
• Strategic Plan Development
• Draft the MSSP including vision, goals, strategic objectives, and key interventions.
• Develop an implementation roadmap with timelines, responsible parties, and performance indicators.
• Propose a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework.
• Costing and Resource Mobilization
• Provide a high-level costing of the strategic plan. (If feasible)
• Identify potential funding sources and sustainability mechanisms.
• Validation and Finalization
• Present the draft MSSP to stakeholders for validation.
• Incorporate feedback and finalize the document for endorsement by the NDoH.

The Consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs:

Output 1: Assessment of the current supply chain system in Papua New Guinea

Deliverable 1.1: Inception report with consultancy/assignment plan, approaches, and methodologies to carry out the assignment

Deliverable 1.2: Overview report of existing government policies, strategies, and reports related to medical supplies and logistics.

Deliverable 1.3: Comprehensive situational assessment report on the current medical supply chain system, including key bottlenecks, risks, and opportunities

Output 2: Draft MSSP with relevant supporting documents

Deliverable 2.1: A Draft outline of the MSSP, including its vision, goals, strategic objectives, key interventions, stakeholders, etc.

Deliverable 2.2: Minutes of consultations with relevant stakeholders on the MSSP development

Deliverable 2.3: Draft MSSP

Deliverable 2.4: Proposed implementation roadmap with timelines, responsible parties and performance indicators, and other key components as required.

Deliverable 2.5: A monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework of the draft MSSP.

Deliverable 2.6: MSSP with costing and suggested recommendations for resource mobilization and sustainability.

Output 3: Final draft MSSP consulted with relevant stakeholders

Deliverable 3.1: Final draft MSSP consulted with relevant stakeholders & Medical Supplies Task Force.

Deliverable 3.2: Final draft MSSP supporting documents, such as the implementation roadmap, M&E, and costing

Deliverable 3.3: Report(s) and presentation materials presented at validation workshop and meetings (if applicable)

Deliverable 3.4: Technical briefs (Senior Executive Management paper) on the MSSP required for high-level discussions on the MSSP endorsement.

Deliverable 3.5: Technical summary with a direction on where improvements are needed for strengthening the procurement and supply chain in PNG.

Output 4: Technical reports

Deliverable 4.1: Monthly reports

Deliverable 4.2: Final technical report with all deliverables (outputs 1-4) at the end of the assignment

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: University degree in pharmacy, business administration, and health economics.

Desirable: Postgraduate qualification in health policy, global health procurement and supply chain management, business administration, or other relevant field from a recognized university.

Experience

Essential: At least five years of experience working in the areas of global health supply chain management and national procurement and supply chain management with a focus on supply chain planning.

Proven experience in health systems strengthening, particularly in supply chain management

Demonstrated experience in strategic planning and policy development

Desirable: Familiarity with the PNG health system and development context is highly desirable

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge

• Demonstrate an understanding of supply and logistics as a system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information, and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer.
• Understand the discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives.
• Possess basic knowledge of supply chain activities, including product selection, quantification and forecasting, inventory management, storage and distribution etc.
• Ability to work independently and in close collaboration with WHO, national governments and stakeholders.
• Demonstrate a commitment to engage teams in other departments or divisions of the organization.
• Demonstrate skill in effective communication, problem solving, and negotiating with a focus on party interests.
• Strong facilitation, analytical, and report-writing skills

Language

Being fully fluent in written and spoken English is essential.

Location

The consultant will support this work remotely.

Travel

Travel to travel to Port Moresby (POM) and outside POM, as necessary.

Remuneration and budget

Remuneration : TBD

Expected duration of contract: 3 months, October 2025 to January 2026

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

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