Projects

Overall objective of the project was to strengthen the capacity of the pharmaceutical procurement and supply chain system of the Zambian government.

The specific objectives of the mission were:

• To assist the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Medical Stores Limited transition of the procurement role and responsibility from the MoH to Medical Stores Limited (MSL);
• To assist the Medical Stores Limited in its institutional development.

The mission was implemented by two senior experts and consisted of:

• Assessing the existing and capacities and mandates of MOH and MSL, given the transition of procurement responsibility from the MoH to the MSL;
• Assessing the suggestions for the transition of procurement responsibilities from the MoH to the MSL, including changes in mandate, budgetary consequences, health financing aspects, legal aspects, quality control aspects, staffing needs, technology needs;
• Assisting the MoH, Minister of Finance and MSL in the development and coordination of the implementation of a plan of action for shifting the procurement responsibility from the MoH to the MSL, including a description of actions, schedules, deadlines and responsibilities, changes in mandate, budgetary consequences, health financing aspects, legal aspects, quality control aspects, staffing needs, recommendation on appropriate information systems/technologies for use by MSL in executing the new procurement function;
• Providing a technical leadership and direction for the development and implementation of innovative strategies and activities to support the strengthening of procurement management systems at MSL;
• Assessing the institutional capacity of MSL;
• Developing a proposal for technical assistance on institutional development and capacity building of MSL;
• Supporting the MoH and MSL in the development of the Grant Contract under the Health Systems Strengthening Financing Agreement.