Background:

In Sudan, the pharmaceutical sector management and arrangement is governed by the three main national bodies; the Directorate General of Pharmacy (DGoP), National medicines and Poisons Board and the National Medical Supply Fund.The DGoP - FMoH is the responsible body for formulating and monitoring all policies, guidelines and plans concerned about developing pharmaceutical sector in Sudan, and promoting the rational use of medicine.
The National Health Sector Strategic Plan (NHSSP) 2017-2020 and the National Medicine Policy (NMP) 2014 were both formulated to emphasize the importance of ensuring universal access to essential, affordable and quality curative health care services for Sudanese citizens. In order to fulfil this objective one of the measures that were taken is developing the standard treatment guidelines in 2014.  
Standard Treatment Guidelines (STG) has been defined as a systematically developed statement designed to assist practitioners or prescribers in making decisions about appropriate treatment for specific clinical conditions. STGs are meant to reflect expert consensus based on a review of current published scientific evidence of acceptable approaches to diagnose, manage or prevent specific conditions. In country like Sudan were resources are constrained, burden of disease is high, and moreover pharmaceuticals account for about 36% of total health expenditure (NHA 2010) and medicines account for 40% of out of pocket expenditures (NHA 2008); the value of STG became high as an approach to provide quality, safe and efficacious essential medicines at affordable cost for the population. It is also seen as a cost containment tool for inefficiencies ‘and fraud associated with polypharmacy practices.
Standard treatment guidelines since formulated in 2014 was aimed to provide invaluable assistance to all practitioners especially those in lower skills level to ensure the quality of care and to allow providers to focus on diagnosis as treatment options are already provided. Moreover it gives information for forecasting and ordering medicines while using available fund very efficiently.
The guidelines must be updated every 2 years as preferred by World Health Organization; otherwise the guidelines will be obsolete and out of date. Changes in evidence available, the values placed on evidence, change in expected outcome, and change in resources available for health care, improvements in current performance beside the possible changes in disease pattern in the country are all possible reasons for updating the guidelines (Shekelle, et al; 2001).
This activity is aimed at hiring a national consultant to update the national standard treatment guidelines. The consultant will work in coordination with the Directorate General of Pharmacy (DGoP), and a task force representing all stake holders with the following scope and objectives:

Scope:

•    To update the existing standard treatment guidelines according to the new evidence based practices and recommendation for the treatment of common clinical conditions presenting mainly in the primary care.
General objective:
•    To update the national Standard Treatment Guidelines.
Specific objectives:
•    To define related stakeholders
•    To formulate committee from related stakeholders to review existing protocols and guidelines then identifying gabs and priorities
•    To lead literature search, critical appraisal and synthesis for evidence.
•    To develop the STGs depending on gaps identified.
•    To approve and submit the final draft of STGs.


Duties and responsibilities:

Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Director General of Pharmacy and close collaboration with the Director of Planning and Polices Directorate – DGoP, the National Consultant will coordinate and follow up the updating of the Sudan Standard Treatment Guidelines with the following specific TORs:
1-    Carry Stake holder’s analysis:  
•    Identify targeted stakeholders in coordination with the DGoP.
•    Communicate with stakeholders to define their roles
Deliverable:  List of stakeholders and their role in updating STG  

2-    Identify target groups:
•    Identify health professionals to be targeted by STGs
Deliverable:
•    List of target health professionals.
•    Level of health care targeted by STGs.

3-    Identify target clinical cases:
•    Determine top leading clinical cases to cause admission to hospitals and health centres/ morbidity/ mortality.
•    Determine the priority clinical cases to be addressed by STGs.
Deliverable: List of targeted clinical cases

4-    Develop STG format:
•    Review of old format used in the STG
•    To develop consensus on the format to be used in this addition
Deliverables: STG format

5-    Establish Subcommittees:
•    Formulation of subcommittee for each specified disease according to agreed upon clinical cases   
•    Determine the qualifications needed for each subcommittee member
•    Train the subcommittee on using the STG format
•    Follow up with each subcommittee
Deliverables:  
•    List of subcommittees members
•    TOR for the subcommittee

6-    Develop STGs
•    Each subcommittee to develop STG for it clinical case according to approved format.
•    Each subcommittee to submit STG to the national Committee.
Deliverable: First draft of the STGs  

7-    Review and get consensus from national committee on the first draft
•    Develop consensus of the committees members on the document
 Deliverables:
•    Final draft Document
•    Implementation plan.

8-    Final report
•    Submit final report on the whole process and activities under this assignment
•    The report will include process for developing the STG format, selection of clinical cases, selection of targeted health professional, evaluation, strengthens, challenges and recommendation for future same programs.
•    Lessons learned in the design and implementation of STGs.

Expected deliverables
•    Final technical report on the whole process
•    Lessons learned in the design and implementation of STGs

Minimum Qualification, Skills and Experience Required:

Competencies:

1.    Managerial skills
2.    Excellent analytical and writing skills;
3.    Excellent teamwork and management skills;
4.    Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
5.    Ability to supervises, guides, leads and schedules the work of others.
6.    Ability to organize, communicates, teach, and work with others in an effective manner.
7.    Proven proficiency in the usage of computers and office software packages, experience in handling of web based management system. Ability to organize, communicates, teach, and work with others in an effective manner.
8.    Demonstrated initiative and perseverance; self-starter, and comfortable in a multi-cultural team setting; Personal sensitivity and commitment to the values of the FMoH.
9.    Results driven, ability to work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines.
10.    Skillful in situation analysis

Education:

1.    Consultant physician, preferably in internal medicine with sub-specialty in pharmacotherapy.

Experience:

1.    Minimum 25 years’ experience in practicing medicine.
2.    At least 5 years’ experience in development and implementing guidelines and protocols.
3.    Additional in-depth knowledge in any of the following areas is an advantage for selection: (i) new guidelines and burden disease (ii) pharmacology and therapeutics (iii) Previous training courses in how to develop and implement STGs.
4.    Preferably if had participated in STG updating.
5.    Familiarity with Government of Sudan and International donors program execution modalities, rules and regulations is a distinct asset.

Language Requirements:
1.    Fluency in both written and spoken English and Arabic

Please send your CV, Application letter and credentials by email:
ppddgop@gmail.com , maweia.ahmed@gmail.com, nl4inas@gmail.com