Improve Access to Quality Health Care
(a) Improve Access to Medicines
Develop and implement a centralized system for the procurement of pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, diagnostic reagents and medical equipment through: (i) carrying out a competitive tendering process for multi-source items and reference pricing for single-source items: (ii) developing specific framework agreements to be entered by the Health Insurance Fund and suppliers within the centralized procurement system; (iii) carrying out pilot testing of: (A) e-prescription system and modules for Primary Health Care Centers, hospitals, Health Insurance Fund, and pharmacies; (B) eprocurement system to support centralized procurement; and (C) development and carrying out of Training of a unified information technology system for monitoring in-market availability and dispensing of pharmaceuticals; and (iv) developing proposals for amendments to regulations and bylaws that give effect to health sector procurement reform; (v) provision of technical support to improve the E-Health System to support the rational use of antibiotics.
(b) Strengthen Health Technology Assessment Capacity
Strengthen the Borrower's capacity to carry out improved Health Technology Assessment through (i) developing partnerships with relevant regional and international Health Technology Assessment organizations; (ii) strengthening the capacity of the relevant institutions of the Borrower, selected pursuant to the criteria set forth in the Project Operations and Grants Manual, to carry out improved Health Technology Assessment for pharmaceuticals and medical devices; (iii) developing proposals for strengthened institutional arrangements of the Borrower, including through amendments to regulations and by-laws for improved Health Technology Assessment; (iv) supporting the establishment of a Health Technology Assessment unit within an entity of the Borrower to be selected by the Borrower and acceptable to the World Bank, based upon the institutional arrangements developed under the preceding sub-section (iii); and (v) providing technical assistance and Training to support the Borrower in: (A) performing Health Technology Assessment and EBM situation analysis; (B) building and document international experiences; (C) acquiring knowledge and developing expertise for local Health Technology Assessment implementation; (D) defining institutionalization and institutional arrangements for Health Technology Assessment; (E) establishing appropriate Health Technology Assessment process and priority areas; (F) translating research results into recommendations for decision making; and (G) building experience in strategic planning.
(c) Improve Medical Equipment Maintenance Systems
Support the improvement of the Ministry of Health maintenance system through: (i) carrying out a preliminary assessment of the existing (A) system of distribution of medical equipment; (B) procedures for medical equipment maintenance and repair management; (C) cost and allocation of maintenance funds; and (D) procurement of spare parts and equipment
maintenance and repair services; (ii) on the basis of the outcome of the preliminary assessment in (i) above, supporting the establishment of: (A) an entity for medical technology management; and (B) the establishment of a maintenance system for high cost equipment, including linear accelerators, computer tomographs and magnetic resonance imaging devices.