happy holidays and all the best for 2014
Rob Verhage
Rob Verhage
HERA Pharmaceutical Consultant and
SARPAM Pooled Procurement PACT Lead
Tawajakoerastraat 4
Paramaribo
Suriname
+597 438966 or 8888647
Muhammad F. Chohan
Dear Rob
Thanks
Muhammad Farooq Chohan
Manager
Central Medical Stores
Ministry of Health
22102-6 Kgomokasitwa Street
Gaborone West Industrial Site, Gaborone, Botswana
Direct: +267 3903823
Cell: +267 72528005
Fax: +267 3913413
Email: mch...@gov.bw
--
To view regional medicines prices please visit http://sadc.meddb.medicinesinfohub.net/
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geof...@sarpam.net
Regional Consultant - Pooled Procurement
SARPAM
Southern African Regional Programme on Access to Medicines and Diagnostics
Muhammad F. Chohan
Thank you and be blessed
Regards
Muhammad Farooq Chohan
Manager
Central Medical Stores
Ministry of Health
22102-6 Kgomokasitwa Street
Gaborone West Industrial Site, Gaborone, Botswana
Direct: +267 3903823
Cell: +267 72528005
Fax: +267 3913413
Email: mch...@gov.bw
Heri Mchunga
Dear Geoffrey,
I wish you a happy and prosperous new year.
I have received the report with much thanks
Heri
Medical Stores Department
Dar es Salaam
Tanzania
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George Sikazwe
Thanks Geoffrey for this accessible copy,
We shall read through and get back to you if we have any comments.
Regards,
Goerge Sikazwe| Director Procurement
Medical Stores Limited
Plot # | 6446, Mukwa Road, Off Lumumba Rd | P.O. Box 30207 Lusaka, Zambia |
Office # | Phone: +260 211 242768 / 242346 / 244105 ext.
| Mobile| +260 972 678 942|
Website | www.medstore.co.zm |
From: sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com [mailto:sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of geof...@sarpam.net
Sent: Friday, January 03, 2014 11:57 AM
To: sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com
This mail is from a staff of Medical Stores Limited. The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, re-transmission, dissemination and other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient(s) is prohibited. If you have received this mail in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer.
George Sikazwe
Dear Geoffrey,
Many thanks for the report on SADC member states workshop for the implementation of the SADC strategy for Pooled Procurement of Essential Medicines and Health Commodities, which took place at Lakeside Hotel, Benoni, Jbg, RSA, from 23 to 27 September 2013.
I have the following comments:
The program financed by DFID needs to be commended as it shall contribute to the overall Vision as a SADC Region aligned with the strategic plan and the SADC Protocol on Health: i.e. (a) Promoting joint procurement of therapeutically beneficial medicines of acceptable safety, proven efficacy, and quality to the people who need them most at affordable prices; (b) Developing mechanisms to respond to emergency pharmaceutical needs of the region; (c) Facilitating the trade in pharmaceuticals within SADC, and (d) Harmonizing standard treatment guidelines and essential medicine lists;
This DFID supported program aims at strengthening the SADC region’s capacity to supply essential medicines and diagnostics.
I believe that within Regional Integration mandate, the SADC Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (TIFI) Directorate, on a complementary basis is also trying harmonize goods and services market integration, productive competitiveness in the pharmaceuticals industry, and coordinating to ensure compliance of regional trade arrangements.
However, even though it is perhaps too early, if we took one pharmaceutical/medicinal product and consider two countries only, in the region to participate in a pooled procurement with country specific staggered deliveries, the following key areas are likely to emerge as critical issues;
1. For funds commitment, where will the supplier be paid from? If no account exists where the two countries deposit funds against a procurement commitment, suppliers may never be paid on time and this is a Risk that may lead to suppliers quoting higher prices in mitigation.
2. Are procurement practices in the two countries harmonized yet? If they are not, this is a Risk as pooled procurement may not proceed. If it proceeds, there may be misunderstandings during implementation.
3. Do the two countries have common forecasting and quantification methodologies, technical specifications, and dosage?
4. Are the countries using a common bidding document to procure and distribute medicines for the entire supply chain?
5. What are the home country legal obligations that are likely to be bottlenecks to this pooled procurement?
6. What are the non-tariff barriers? Do we have common rules of origin? Are tax obligations the same?
7. Do we have common Quality Assurance Standards yet? Are quality control mechanisms in both countries the same?
8. Do we have common policies and factors that determine encouragement of the local industries and productivity?
I am sure that the two countries will find many more barriers to pooled procurement and yet this approach has the potential to bring about lower prices and an enhanced quality assurance system through economies of scale to the region.
Therefore are other departments at SADC Level on the same course with our continued effort under this DFID financing and support, in integrating the other complementary and key issues which are current barriers to pooled procurement in our region?
At SADC Level and for better integration of all issues, have we handled our regional consultative meetings in the following manner for easy of reaching a common understanding as to where we are, and where we are going?
1. The Policy matters that came out of the Minister’s meeting in 2012 have been noted.
2. But was there a follow up consultative meeting of Permanent Secretaries to take on policy pronouncements and circulate issues of common interest to their respective Cabinets?
3. Was this followed up with a consultative meeting of all Technical Directors (Clinical Services, Pharmaceuticals, Procurement)?
4. Our current forum with a focus on medicines information sharing and work sharing appears to comprise technical staff in procurement, quality assurance, clinical services and pharmaceuticals. Are we able to communicate regional integration issues effectively with our Directors? Are we on the same wavelength? Or is there any missing link?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This is just loud thinking!
Regards,
George
From: sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com [mailto:sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of geof...@sarpam.net
Sent: Friday, January 03, 2014 11:57 AM
To: sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com
This mail is from a staff of Medical Stores Limited. The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, re-transmission, dissemination and other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient(s) is prohibited. If you have received this mail in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer.
Geoffrey Ngwira
Dear George from Medical Stores in Zambia,
Thank you for your valuable comments. I just would like to acknowledge seeing them and to express my interest in them. I would like to assure you that as soon as I find a bit of time I will address some of the observations you made.
In the meantime perhaps there may also be others with similar or other comments; please you are welcome to share them with everyone so that we all move together at the same pace.
All the best
Geoffrey Ngwira
Regional Consultant - Pooled Procurement
SARPAM
BONFACE FUNDAFUNDA
Dr Bonface Fundafunda
Geoffrey Ngwira
Dear Bonnie,
Many thanks to you and your team. As I mentioned to George, I will get back to the group on this.
Best wishes to you too.
Geoffrey Ngwira
Regional Consultant - Pooled Procurement
SARPAM
FRED MZOMA
Please do not look for a bit of time, you have to have time and reflect on the issues raised by George because much as he says it is out of loud thinking I feel they are quite pertinent. We need to be talking about these issues.
Please make time.
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2014 20:07:39 +0200
Subject: RE: [sadc-medicines-procurement] happy holidays and all the best for 2014
From: geof...@sarpam.net
To: sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com
Muhammad F. Chohan
Dear Colleagues
Kindly help us to get the following items or donate few to Botswana if you have
1. Biperiden injection
2. Clofazamine 100mg tablets
Regards
Muhammad Farooq Chohan
Manager
Central Medical Stores
Ministry of Health
22102-6 Kgomokasitwa Street
Gaborone West Industrial Site, Gaborone, Botswana
Direct: +267 3903823
Cell: +267 72528005
Fax: +267 3913413
Email: mch...@gov.bw
From: sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com [mailto:sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of FRED MZOMA
Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2014 2:24 PM
To: sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com
Celestine Kumire
Celestine Kumire
Programme Director
phone +27 11 880 6993 fax +27 11 880 6980
mobile +27 72 573 4691
GABORONE Office
mobile +267 747 745 65
skype celestine.kumire5
This message is intended for the addressee only. Information and attachments in this e-mail may contain confidential, proprietary, or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, or responsible for delivery of the message to the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or any action taken is prohibited and may be unlawful, and could result in a claim against you. Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
FRED MZOMA
Thanks
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2014 14:37:04 +0200
Subject: Re: [sadc-medicines-procurement] happy holidays and all the best for 2014
Rob Verhage
Dear all,
Good start of the year to see emerging serious interest in the challenges and opportunities of regional pooled procurement.
I attach the two documents that were agreed by the Ministers in 2012 after approved and feriously discussed in another MS Meeting in September 2012. These documents contain most of the answers to George’s loud thinking. These documents are being printed by the SADC Secretariat and they may want to advise us to when the printed copies are becoming available (it’s been some time now …).
The Report on the Situational Analysis addresses the systems in place in the different countries, where are the differences and where the commonalities. Based on an analysis the Strategy choose to go for information sharing (based on publicly available information on medicines procured; or what should be publicly available based on the existing public procurement legislation) and work sharing (get to know each other and strengthen each other’s systems), as well as group contracting: Through a tender suppliers agree to fix prices for a certain time, but the orders have to be placed by the procurement agencies in the respective countries (based on their possibilities given the existing legislation and regulations). For more details I refer to the two documents attached.
We are in the process to support the SADC Secretariat in facilitating the implementation of the Strategy as agreed in the MS Meeting in September 2013 (see report under discussion). Celestine may want to say something on that process. I like to mention that SADC Secretariat (as agreed) is in the process to urge MS to appoint a Focal Person (see TOR in the Meeting Report) and we have prepared a proposal to launch a multi-agency Operational Fund which can support PP Strategy implementation beyond the end of the SARPAM programme at the end of 2014. Unnecessary to say that all these are delicate processes. They are in line with the subsidiarity principle and other arrangements mentioned in the Strategy.
We are also still aiming to have regional meetings in the first half of this year, most importantly, meetings on getting content and management of the e-platforms into a sustainable and for all MS agreeable form (addressing their needs and concerns) by mid-2014, but also as an opportunity to further explore the real cooperation between countries.
I trust to have contributed to this debate and am curious about further contributions.
Rob
Celestine,
Thanks
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To view regional medicines prices please visit http://sadc.meddb.medicinesinfohub.net/
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Geoffrey Ngwira
Dear All,
Okay, seeing that some went to town on me on this discussion I will respond without any references. So this is a lay presentation of the concept.
In short, all the barriers and bottlenecks to the regional collaboration were identified at inception of the programme. But knowing the opportunities that the cooperation offers, choices were made to make things workable across all 14 if not 15 countries.
Those that participated in the 2012 consultative workshop will recall that stakeholders from other sectors like Customs, Justice, Finance, Trade and Industry were invited to the meeting discussing pooled procurement of health products. This was in recognition that access to medicines is not a Ministry of Health issue alone and that if ministries of health have to collaborate in this way across the region other structures have roles to play.
A stepwise approach was taken where prior to implementing what everyone understands as Pooled Procurement, countries would pool information and tools resources rather than financial and material resources. At this stage we are talking information and work sharing (informed buying getting to a coordinated stage). Indeed there are some suggestions from a few people to change the seemingly confusing term of pooled procurement to procurement cooperation because every country continues to carry out its own purchases under the cooperation.
Next step is the standardisation and harmonisation. The process will take focus by March this year where smaller groups will discuss proposals to what should be basic standards to create an environment of sharing good quality information. This stage will certainly prompt improvements in the way countries operate in order to make the cooperation smooth. The good thing known to many is that in the region most systems have been developed from some model, at times the organisations providing technical assistance being the same or related in the way they do things. In the health sector we know the United Nations organisations have led systems improvements and we see many systems similarities among countries with subtle differences, often in the way some clauses are practically applied in real practice. The result of these differences lead to huge differences in the quality of services procurement agencies render. A good example is on the prices paid for the same medicines among countries.
Adopting common standards will help remove thinking and working in pockets and enable procurement officials have a broader view of things and compare their practice to that of others. Wise ones will certainly adopt best practices, thereby automatically improving their own capacity.
If further steps like Group Contracting have to be pursued, certainly there will be need to look at procurement legislation across countries and harmonise it. Now, that cannot be an overnight process. However, on the quality assurance side, countries in the region are already trying to collaborate on medicines legislation so that it is easier to move medical goods in the region. This process will quickly bring countries that are not advanced up to speed with those that are advanced. It will also help reduce the load of each country wasting resources registering the same medicine individually. Countries will reach a stage of recognising each other's work when they are able to do joint inspections, for example. When this level is reached, certainly several countries can collaborate to jointly solicit offers for difficult to source items (those that do not attract offers in tenders due to small quantities) and separately conclude contracts with the selected supplier.
In a nutshell, this cooperation will help build capacities rather than take away responsibilities of procurement agencies as feared by some. Barriers are there to be overcome but that requires that one takes action rather than take a pessimistic stand. Of course success also depends on useful questions and discussion like this.
I notice Rob has sent some references, please read to help yourself understand this regional collaboration idea. I will digest George's contribution further to see if any of the identified barriers are not being adequately addressed as we try to progress.
Best wishes
fmzoma
Geoffrey Ngwira
Dear Colleagues,
Let not the other debate overshadow work sharing issues like the request from Botswana.
Let all kindly render support to Botwana on their request.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Geoffrey Ngwira
Regional Consultant - Pooled Procurement
SARPAM
Muhammad F. Chohan
Thanks
Muhammad Farooq Chohan
Manager
Central Medical Stores
Ministry of Health
22102-6 Kgomokasitwa Street
Gaborone West Industrial Site, Gaborone, Botswana
Direct: +267 3903823
Cell: +267 72528005
Fax: +267 3913413
Email: mch...@gov.bw
From: sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com [mailto:sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Geoffrey Ngwira
Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2014 7:15 PM
To: sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com
BONFACE FUNDAFUNDA
Dr Bonface Fundafunda
George Sikazwe
Dear Geoffrey and Rob,
Many thanks for your responses.
I take note of comments below and wish to add that Pooled Procurement may not be realized soon, but it is a long term goal and therefore the title itself is good. No matter how long it may take, one day we shall have Pooled Procurement as a Region.
It is gratifying to note that the SADC Secretariat is moving forward with other integration issues, while we concentrate on our current mandate of information sharing and working together as part of that greater effort..
As a region, we seem to have made progress in many areas as you have noted and we have many similarities and a few deviations. On Procurement alone, and as part of the greater SADC effort, we need to encourage countries in the Region to adopt the best international Laws, rules, practices procedures, and documents so that we all move towards one direction and this will lessen deviation issues in the future.
Therefore Harmonization and integration of procurement Laws, practices, rules, procedures and documentation may be needed now, more than ever before.
Regards,
George.
This DFID supported program aims at strengthening the SADC region�s capacity to supply essential medicines and diagnostics.
I believe that within Regional Integration mandate, the SADC Trade, Industry, Finance and Investment (TIFI) Directorate, on a complementary basis is also trying harmonize goods and services market integration, productive competitiveness in the pharmaceuticals industry, and coordinating to ensure compliance of regional trade arrangements.
However, even though it is perhaps too early, if we took one pharmaceutical/medicinal product and consider two countries only, in the region to participate in a pooled procurement with country specific staggered deliveries, the following key areas are likely to emerge as critical issues;
1. For funds commitment, where will the supplier be paid from? If no account exists where the two countries deposit funds against a procurement commitment, suppliers may never be paid on time and this is a Risk that may lead to suppliers quoting higher prices in mitigation.
2. Are procurement practices in the two countries harmonized yet? If they are not, this is a Risk as pooled procurement may not proceed. If it proceeds, there may be misunderstandings during implementation.
3. Do the two countries have common forecasting and quantification methodologies, technical specifications, and dosage?
4. Are the countries using a common bidding document to procure and distribute medicines for the entire supply chain?
5. What are the home country legal obligations that are likely to be bottlenecks to this pooled procurement?
6. What are the non-tariff barriers? Do we have common rules of origin? Are tax obligations the same?
7. Do we have common Quality Assurance Standards yet? Are quality control mechanisms in both countries the same?
8. Do we have common policies and factors that determine encouragement of the local industries and productivity?I am sure that the two countries will find many more barriers to pooled procurement and yet this approach has the potential to bring about lower prices and an enhanced quality assurance system through economies of scale to the region.
Therefore are other departments at SADC Level on the same course with our continued effort under this DFID financing and support, in integrating the other complementary and key issues which are current barriers to pooled procurement in our region?
At SADC Level and for better integration of all issues, have we handled our regional consultative meetings in the following manner for easy of reaching a common understanding as to where we are, and where we are going?
1. The Policy matters that came out of the Minister�s meeting in 2012 have been noted.
Geoffrey Ngwira
Dear George,
I cannot agree with you more. We all need to be at the same or beyond some minimal level for things to work smoothly.
Thanks for the helpful contribution.
Jeff
Geoffrey Ngwira
Regional Consultant - Pooled Procurement
SARPAM
Muhammad F. Chohan
Dear Geoffrey
Thanks , so far I have received response from Malawi. Could other MS also respond, we are desperate for these drugs
Regards
Muhammad Farooq Chohan
Manager
Central Medical Stores
Ministry of Health
22102-6 Kgomokasitwa Street
Gaborone West Industrial Site, Gaborone, Botswana
Direct: +267 3903823
Cell: +267 72528005
Fax: +267 3913413
Email: mch...@gov.bw
From: sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com [mailto:sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Geoffrey Ngwira
Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2014 9:01 AM
To: sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com
Charles Mwaramba
Zimbabwe does not have the requested medicines.
Muhammad F. Chohan
Thank you Zimbabwe for the response.
Bonface Fundafunda
Dr Bonface Fundafunda
Rob Verhage
Hi Bonnie,
Please find attached the SADC Situational Report which contains the information you are looking for and much more!
Kind regards, Rob
To post to this group, send email to sadc-medicine...@googlegroups.com.
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Bonface Fundafunda
Dr Bonface Fundafunda
<Situational analysis and feasibility study final 1 Nov 2012.pdf>