Access to Medicines Coordinator Clinton Health Access Initiative - Kampala, Uganda

The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to strengthening integrated health systems in the developing world and expanding access to care and treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. CHAI’s solution-oriented approach focuses on improving market dynamics for medicines and diagnostics; lowering prices for treatment; accelerating access to life-saving technologies; and helping governments build the capacity required for high-quality care and treatment programs.

Since its establishment in 2002 by President William J. Clinton, CHAI has worked on the demand and supply sides of the market to help more than 2 million HIV+ people access the medicines needed for treatment—representing nearly half of all people and 2 out of 3 children on HIV treatment in developing countries. Building on this model, CHAI has expanded its scope to include efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery systems and to combat malaria and childhood illnesses.

In 2007, CHAI signed an MOU with the government of Uganda to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and strengthen health systems. Since then, CHAI has worked hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Health to increase access to lifesaving pediatric HIV treatment by >400%; coordinate with private sector suppliers to lower costs and expand access to malaria drugs; pilot a point-of-care diagnostic technology, leading to scale up to >250 health facilities nationwide; introduce a new severe malaria drug which will save thousands of lives annually; and many other initiatives. Currently, CHAI Uganda works with the Ministry of Health around HIV, malaria, childhood illnesses, laboratory systems and drug logistics.

Position Description:

The Access to Medicines Coordinator will work closely with Uganda’s Ministry of Health to design and implement programs to increase the number of people accessing antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS and artemisinin-based drugs for malaria treatment.  The Coordinator will work at all levels of the health system, including:

• Policy:  Helping the Government navigate the complex world of HIV/AIDS drugs to optimize product selection an update national treatment guidelines.
• Forecasting: Supporting the Ministry of Health to analyze current drug consumption, pipeline stock, and consumption trends in order to inform drug procurement and delivery schedules.
• Supply Chain:  Working with the Government and partners to ensure that >600 health facilities throughout Uganda regularly receive the correct mix of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and over 2,000 health facilities regularly receive required antimalarial drugs, to ensure that patients have continual access to lifesaving treatment.
•  Field Work: Piloting systems to improve patient treatment in health facilities and then scaling these initiatives nationally (e.g. systems that adjust patient visit schedules to reduce wait time.)

The Coordinator must be a strategic thinker with exceptional quantitative skills. The Coordinator will be responsible for a wide variety of tasks, from leading complex multi-million dollar drug quantifications to navigating relationships between the government, multilaterals, NGOs, and private sector suppliers.  The Coordinator must be able to fully manage and own multiple projects with minimal supervision, and will be responsible for strategy development, relationship management, and project implementation.

The Coordinator will also oversee Uganda’s UNITAID donation, which provides ~$10 million in free HIV drugs and diagnostics to Uganda’s health system annually. UNITAID is an international facility for the purchase of drugs and diagnostics, which seeks to expand access to, and lower costs of, essential commodities in low-income countries. CHAI administers the UNITAID donations for pediatric antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and diagnostics. This donation is essential to the care and treatment of over 25,000 children living with HIV. Working closely with the Ministry of Health and NGO partners, the Coordinator will support national forecasting and quantification efforts for all public sector pediatric ARVs and diagnostics in the country. The Coordinator will work with Uganda’s National Medical Stores (NMS), the National Drug Authority (NDA), and key government and NGO logistics officers to avoid stock outs and expiries of these key HIV commodities.

The Coordinator will also support the strategic development of innovative technology-based solutions to health problems, and will work with programmers and the Ministry of Health to implement these mHealth interventions.

Responsibilities:

• Identifying critical hurdles to increasing the number of people accessing lifesaving medicines, and developing and implementing innovative strategies to address them
• Identifying supply chain bottlenecks through comprehensive quantitative and qualitative analysis, including field research, data analysis, and developing pilot programs to address these bottlenecks
• Forecasting the need for drugs and diagnostics in collaboration with multiple government and NGO stakeholders
• Overseeing the procurement of commodities, tracking and processing orders, and liaising with international pharmaceuticals, the National Drug Authority, and the National Medical Stores to ensure timely delivery
• Monitoring stock levels of HIV drugs throughout the country and negotiating the transfer of commodities in order to minimize avoidable stock outs at facilities

• Identifying and pursuing new areas of work and partnerships that will have dramatic and leveraged impact on health outcomes for patients
• Navigating political complexities to build and maintain strong working relationships with senior stakeholders in government, international partners, donors and NGOs, and ensure coordination of resources and efforts

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 2 years professional experience in a demanding, results-oriented environment
• Experience conceiving, planning, and executing complex programs or projects with verifiable results
• Exceptional leadership potential and strategic development skills, and the ability to identify and pursue high-impact strategies in complex and evolving environments
• Exceptional analytical (quantitative and qualitative) and communication (written and verbal) skills, including mastery of Excel and PowerPoint
• Entrepreneurial mindset, including ability to work independently, self-motivate, and propose and implement new initiatives
• Ability to perform in high-pressure situations, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, and set priorities
• Strong desire to work in a fast-paced, limited-structure environment
• Ability to absorb and synthesize a broad range of information
• Must exhibit a passion for results and a commitment to excellence
• CHAI places great value on the following qualities: flexibility, resourcefulness, responsibility, persistence, independence, energy, and work ethic

Advantages:

• Master’s Degree (preferably in Business, Public Health or related field) is preferred
• Experience in a rigorous private sector environment such as strategy consulting or finance
• Experience working in public health, particularly with a focus on HIV/AIDS or logistics
• Expertise in IT and mHealth applications

Please apply to this position at: https://careers-chai.icims.com/jobs/3076/access-to-medicines-coordinator/job