Rational Drug Use Survey for Artemisinin Combined Therapies in GMS countries

Background

WHO in its response under the Emergency Response to Artemisinin Resistance (ERAR) programme provides technical assistance to medicine regulatory authorities, manufacturers and other national/regional stakeholders to increase the availability and access to quality-assured essential medicines and medical products necessary for effective diagnosis, prevention and treatment of malaria.
In this context, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO) is seeking offers for contractors able to carry out a survey on Rational Drug Use (RDU) of antimalarials (AMLs) with main focus on artemisinin combined therapies (ACTs) and other antimalarials in 2 countries within the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS): Cambodia and Lao PDR.

Purpose/Specific Objective of the Activity

The main objectives for this contract are:

1. To carry out a cross-sectional survey in health facilities in selected provinces with a demonstrated high resistance to Artemisinin.
2. To document the usage of Artemisinin Combined Therapies (ACTs) and other antimalarial drugs and to analyse the impact of the use on Artemisinin Resistance in selected districts in Cambodia and Lao PDR.
3. To identify Malaria patients’ Health Seeking Behaviour and treatment adherence.
4. Based on the observations, to suggest a specific set of pragmatic recommendations for effective interventions from a policy and regulation perspective to support the containment of malaria resistance efforts.

Description of activities to be carried out

1. To draft and plan the survey methodology in collaboration with WHO
2. To undertake visits to the selected healthcare facilities to carry out the survey with patients and healthcare workers.
3. Data entry and analysis: data should be entered, cleaned and analysed using any appropriate statistical software program.

Methodology

Cross sectional-survey with individual interviews to healthcare workers and patients through individual questionnaires on their treatment seeking behaviour, treatment guidelines and drug usage.

Examples of the information expected to collect and analyse:

• Prescribing patterns for Malaria cases
• Treatment guidelines for patients with fever but negative RDT
• Frequency of visit to the centre whenever they experience symptoms
• Adherence to guidelines’ treatments  (from both patients and healthworkers)
• Drug seeking behaviour: where to obtain medicines and cost of treatment by provider type (village vendor, private health worker, public supply)

Geographical Location

Based on the GMS geography, the survey will be carried out in selected provinces in Lao PDR and Cambodia.

At country level, several provinces in areas with high Artemisinin resistance will be selected (number of districts will depend on survey methods utilized)

1. Population target

The survey will be carried out in both, Healthcare workers and malaria patients.

Number of individual interviews to be confirmed by statistical methods with meaningful statistical power.  Suppliers must submit their proper sampling method and reasonability.

Additionally, ethical aspects will be considered, including obtaining consent ( individual consent and approval from the National Health Ministry) and community participation approval.

1. Sample size

The  total number of selected interviews has to have meaningful statistical power. Bidders shall offer their proposed sampling size reasoning their election.

1. Expected timeline and deadline

The assignment is planned to last for 6 months since contract signature.

1. Deliverable(s) to be submitted during and after the period of the assignment including manner of delivery.

Survey results report.

In order to be considered, interested contractors should submit their proposal including timeline and a budget. The following pre-qualification documents should also be submitted.

• Company Profile- including organization chart and number of staff
• Certificate of Company Registration
• Certificate of Good Financial standing

Bidders should submit their proposals by email to the Supply Officer (WPRO) at  SAO@who.int by no later than 27 June 2016. Please use Tender Notice No.  46427 as subject to all submissions