Strengthening Pharmaceutical Systems Bangladesh Quarterly Newsletter

Transcription

1 Strengthening Pharmaceutical Systems Bangladesh Quarterly Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 2 December 2011 Inside this issue Bid Document and Procurement Procedures Manual Review Workshop DGFP Organized Bidders Orientation Program Executive Vice President of MSH Meets with MoHFW Secretary Case Study: SPS Supported DGFP to Manage Excess Syringes Demonstration of MoHFW s Procurement Management Portal Introductory Meeting with National TB Program Follow-Up Session for DGFP Web- Based Logistics Management Tools and Reports Assistance Provided to MoHFW Line Directors to Develop Procurement Plans with Reimbursable Project Aid Success Story: Bangladesh SCIP Receives Two Digital Innovation Awards Establishment of a Procurement and Logistics Management Cell Voice from the Field: UIMS Made My Life Easier Bid Document and Procurement Procedures Manual Review Workshop A technical session entitled Bid Document and PPM (Procurement Procedures Manual) Review Workshop was held August 8 9 and 16 17, 2011, at the Logistics and Supply Unit s (L&S) conference room at the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) and at the Strengthening Pharmaceutical Systems (SPS) conference room, respectively. The objective of the session was to review the DGFP s standard bid documents and to strengthen the clauses in the bid data sheet to remove discrepancies that are not consistent with the Drug Administration s regulations for registering pharmaceuticals and medical devices. In addition, the PPM was given a final review before publication. Deputy country director of SPS-Bangladesh in discussion with desk officers of the DGFP. Mr. Faikuzzaman Chowdhury, Director, Finance and Line Director, Field Services Delivery Program (FSDP), opened the discussion and provided important input on bid documents and the PPM. Procurement desk officers, a deputy director (Foreign Procurement), an additional director (Drugs and Stores at the Central Warehouse [CWH]), and the CWH assistant director were also present and provided necessary feedback, which has already been incorporated in both the bid documents and the PPM. The sessions were facilitated by Joseph Ampomah Adu, Deputy Director, and Abdullah Imam Khan, Senior Program Associate- Procurement, of the SPS Program.

2 Page 2 DGFP Organized Bidders Orientation Program The DGFP procures large quantities of many commodities, including oral contraceptives, condoms, injectables, intrauterine devices, drug and dietary supplement kits, by utilizing Government of Bangladesh (GOB) and World Bank-managed pool funds. The DGFP contracts for the provision of goods on the best possible commercial terms, awarded to the technically qualified, lowestcost bidder with appropriate skills and commercial standing. DGFP operates a transparent and consistent control system for tendering and contracts management. But unfortunately, all the bidders do not have the same knowledge in preparing the tender documents and submitting the necessary supporting documents according to DGFP criteria; this results in less competition. To remedy this situation, DGFP organized a day-long orientation session for potential bidders on September 15, 2011, at the information, education, and motivation (IEM) conference room at the DGFP in Dhaka. The session was facilitated by SPS, which is funded by USAID. The goal of the session was to provide national and international bidders with updated information on bidding procedures, qualifications, maintenance of delivery schedules, and other relevant matters. In addition, DGFP officials were keenly interested in bidders opinions about doing business with DGFP. At the end of the program, the participants provided DGFP with a set of specific recommendations. The welcome address was given by Mr. Md. Kafil Uddin, director (Logistics and Supply). Dr. Zubayer Hussain, country director, SPS, explained the objectives of the program. Mr. M. M. Neazuuddin, Director General of DGFP, then inaugurated the event. Executive Vice President of MSH Meets with MoHFW Secretary On July 5, 2011, Mr. Paul Auxila, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Management Sciences for Health (MSH), made an introductory visit to Md. Humayun Kabir, the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). During the discussion, Mr. Auxila shared the MSH experience worldwide in the public health field and the history of MSH s presence in Bangladesh; he also explored opportunities to broaden the organization s activities. He also talked about MSH s relationships with USAID and other donors. Mr. S. M. Ashraful Islam, joint secretary, Administration, MoHFW; Ms. Aktari Mamtaz, joint secretary, Development and Medical Education, MOHFW; Ms. Belkis, NGO capacity building and gender advisor, MSH; Dr. Zubayer Hussain, country director, SPS Bangladesh, were also present. (Left to right) Ms. Mamtaz, Dr. Hussain, Paul Axila, Ms. Belkis, Mr. Kabir, and Mr. Islam. Case Study: SPS Supported DGFP to Manage Excess Syringes When SPS critically reviewed the web-lmis ( report, it found that an excess of approximately 3.8 million auto-disable (AD) syringes were stored in different warehouses including service delivery points (SDPs). Despite the excess, DGFP was planning to procure additional AD syringes in FY Dr. S. A. Fida Hasan, program manager, FSDP, presided over an August 18, 2011, meeting with DGFP and the German Development Bank (KfW) on managing the excess syringes and revising the procurement (based on the forecast supported by SPS) for FY It was decided that DGFP-FSDP will revise the procurement plan for FY and procure 2 million fewer AD syringes. The GOB will procure 1.6 million instead of 2.6 million and RPA will procure 10 million instead of 11 million; the result will be a savings of 12 million taka.

3 Page 3 Demonstration of MoHFW s Procurement Management Portal A technical session entitled Demonstration of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) Procurement Management Portal (PMP) was held on August 3, 2011, at the management information system (MIS) auditorium, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Dhaka. The session was facilitated by SPS with financial support from USAID. Mr. A. K. M. Amir Hossain, Additional Secretary, MoHFW, graced the session as the chief guest. Ms. Aktari Mamtaz, Joint Secretary, Development and Medical Education, MoHFW, chaired the session. Professor Dr. Abul Kalam Azad, Additional Director General (Planning), DGHS, moderated the technical session (he is also the focal person from MoHFW for the portal). At the beginning of the demonstration, Prof. Azad clarified the objectives of the program which are To share the demo version of the PMP with key stakeholders to promote common understanding To seek input for the development of the portal To build consensus on major components of the portal SPS Country Director Dr. Zubayer Hussain then presented the keynote speech on the PMP. He also mentioned that the portal would address drawbacks of the previous system. For example A product catalog is now available with unique codes for all items Product specifications are now available in a central repository Line directors can develop, submit, and manage procurement plans electronically (procurement packages will no longer be managed and tracked in Word/Excel) Procurement sections of all 32 operational plans can be handled electronically Information on registered medicines and contraceptives can be directly linked to procurement processes Mr. Mahmudul Islam, IT consultant, then demonstrated the functionality of the portal. Additional Director General (Administration) Prof. Dr. A. F. M. Saiful Islam expressed his views as a representative of the director general, DGHS. Ms. Aktari Mamtaz, Joint Secretary, development and medical education, MoHFW, briefly explained the idea of forming a procurement and logistics management cell (PLMC) within MoHFW. This management body/cell will oversee procurement functions of all procuring entities under MoHFW, particularly four major entities Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD)/DGHS, Logistics and Supply Unit/DGFP, Health Engineering Department (HED), and MoHFW itself. Ms. Mamtaz also pointed out the need for a PLMC for effective and efficient procurement management. The interactive session with Mr. Islam brought together key policy makers, line directors, tertiary-level hospital directors, a civil surgeon, the deputy director from family planning, the director general for drug administration, program managers, and representatives from WHO and USAID. Introductory Meeting with National TB Program The SPS team met with Dr. Motiuddin Ahmed, Line Director, TB-Leprosy, on July 26, 2011, at the National TB Program (NTP) office. The meeting was held to get initial information on NTP s procurement, logistics, and MIS, and to explore avenues for providing assistance for the overall improvement of these functions as well as human capacity. At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Zubayer gave a short briefing about the SPS-Bangladesh program and its activities within MoHFW, including DGHS and DGFP. Representatives from WHO, University Research Co., LLC (URC), and the Global Fund were also present at the meeting. Follow-Up Session for DGFP Web-Based Logistics Management Tools and Reports SPS facilitated a workshop on March 29 30, 2011, to review the current logistics reporting forms, DGFP s Supply Chain Information Portal (SCIP), Warehouse Inventory Management System (WIMS), Upazila Inventory Management System (UIMS), and Web-Based Logistics Management Information System (LMIS) to determine their functionality and identify further

4 Page 4 enhancements. SPS incorporated all the recommendations made during the workshop into a report which it shared in a follow-up technical session held on September 21, 2011, at the IEM conference room in the gracious presence of DGFP directors and officials. The objective of the session was to agree and validate the recommendations of DGFP Logistics Management Tools and Reports made by participants during the workshop held on March 29 30, 2011, and to reflect on the recommendations of the revised reporting format. Deputy Director, Mr. Rezaul Islam, MIS, DGFP, made a presentation on the updated features on the various tools and the monthly family planning logistics report. Mr. M. M. Neazuddin, Director General of Family Planning, stressed the physical verification of data from the field and requested that the MIS director ensure an effective monitoring system at every level (central, division, district, upazila, and SDP). Assistance Provided to MoHFW Line Directors to Develop Procurement Plans with Reimbursable Project Aid The World Bank, a pool of development partners, and the GOB are funding the five-year Health, Population, and Nutrition Sector Development Program (HPNSDP) for the country. Under the development credit agreement between the donors and the GOB, items purchased under HPNSDP must be procured in accordance with the International Development Association s (IDA) and the World Bank s procurement requirements and guidelines. The responsibility for procuring health care commodities falls to two directorates of MoHFW DGFP, which is responsible for procuring contraceptives, and the CMSD, which is responsible for procuring medical supplies and equipment for DGHS. These agencies were not familiar with widely-held principles of good public procurement Success Story: Bangladesh SCIP Receives Two Digital Innovation Awards In July 2011, at Bangladesh s Digital Innovation Fair, Md. Humayun Kabir, Secretary, MoHFW, accepted a Digital Innovation Award for the SCIP, considered the best e-governance initiative at the fair; in addition, the portal won the runner-up award for national digital innovation in the e-health category, making it eligible for the 2013 World Summit Award, which is the global initiative to promote the world s most innovative information technology applications. The SCIP strengthens the supply chain by making web-based tools available to the Bangladesh DGFP and registered public users. For example, the LMIS and stock status report provide information on the availability of government-owned contraceptives and raises an alert regarding possible shortages or overages. In addition, the Procurement Tracker allows government officials to track the status of the procurement process every step of the way, which helps prevent delays while also promoting transparency. The portal is unique in the government sector for its ability to allow users to manage data and create presentations using web-based dashboards. The DGFP SCIP helps to ensure the availability of contraceptives at the upazila and field levels, which eventually will help reduce unwanted pregnancies and population growth steps toward reaching the relevant Millennium Development Goals. This portal was developed by the SPS Program, supported by USAID. The fair, held July 6-9, 2011, at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novo Theatre in Dhaka, showcases innovative government initiatives and projects on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in various government and private organizations. The fair was opened by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on July 6 and was organized by the prime minister s office in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and ICT. The fair was also meant to bridge the communication gap between government, private organizations, and the general public; 68 different ministries, government authorities, and private organizations took part with over 100 digitally enabled projects and initiatives.

5 Page 5 nor did they have direct experience with international competitive bidding, international trade practices, or World Bank procurement requirements. As a result, the procurement process was ineffective, leading to significant delays in order processing and delivery of commodities. To address this issue, MoHFW asked the SPS program to provide on-site technical assistance to develop 18- month, IDA-funded procurement plans for the next sector program so that MoHFW could submit the consolidated procurement plans of its 32 operational plans to the World Bank on time. Establishment of a Procurement and Logistics Management Cell One of the main goals of the HPNSDP for is to set up a PLMC within MoHFW to oversee all procuring entities under the Ministry. The establishment of a PLMC will also be coupled with the transformation of the CMSD into a strategic procurement organization. It is expected that the cell will be responsible for coordinating and supervising all procurements and supplies of products and services and will coordinate decentralization, capacity building, and monitoring of procurement processes. SPS engaged an international consultant to conduct a comprehensive assessment of MoHFW s four procurement entities to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each and map the key stakeholders involved. The four key procuring entities are CMSD, under DGHS, procures goods and services L&S Unit, under DGFP, procures goods and service HED procures works MoHFW procures goods and service The findings in the assessment will be used to carefully plan and execute the transition process without negatively affecting the procurement functions of the four entities and the quality of health service in general. Voice from the Field: UIMS Made My Life Easier Madaripur Sadar is one of 483 upazilas where an Upazila Inventory Management System (UIMS) was installed recently. It is a large upazila in terms of family-planning area coverage and number of field workers deployed; it has a total of 101 SDPs. Rabeya Begum, the Upazila Family Planning Assistant of Madaripur Sadar, performs multiple tasks and has a heavy work load. She is the focal person for UMIS, the Personnel Management Information System (PMIS), and services data in her upazila. She has to work in the areas of accounts, store management and other general activities, and ad-hoc report preparation. Rabeya received training on UIMS 2 from SPS in May 2011 and successfully generated reports the following month. UIMS 2 has the one-click backup feature, which allows her to preserve the data and regularly send it to her supervisor to prevent any untoward situation like a hard disk crash. According to Rabeya, I can now generate monthly reports and issue vouchers for 101 staff correctly using UIMS 2 software in less than a day. This used to take me at least 3 days to prepare all manually, and monthly reporting was impossible before the 15th of the next month. But now, it only takes me less than a day to complete and send by the 3rd of the next. It also helps me multitasks quite effectively and efficiently. She happily said, UIMS2 has made my life easier. UMIS 2 has an option to upload the monthly 7B report directly to the DGFP SCIP web portal. Thus, UIMS software has enhanced the Rabeya Begum efficiency of the upazila family-planning store staff and assists them in error-free recording and reporting. It has also tremendously increased the reliability and validity of logistics data.

6 Page 6 Contact address: MSH/SPS Country Office, Flat #E1- W1 House 28, Road #63, Gulshan-2 Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh For more information, please visit DGFP Supply Chain Information Portal This report is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), under the terms of cooperative agreement number GHN-A The contents are the responsibility of Management Sciences for Health and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.