Job Description

Qualifications

Final TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consultant: Strengthening antimicrobial resistance response, regulatory systems and access to medical products

1. Background

Achieving universal health coverage (UHC) requires access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable medical products, including essential medicines and vaccines. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to threaten the effectiveness of many essential antibiotics, necessitating careful stewardship. The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials, as well as the use of substandard and falsified antimicrobials, are the main drivers of antimicrobial resistance.

Cambodia’s concerns about AMR gained global attention when resistance to the antimalarial drug artemisinin was first reported in 2009 along the Cambodia-Thai border, and one of the leading factors was substandard and falsified antimalarials. Since then, the Royal Government of Cambodia has taken bold actions to combat AMR. This includes, among others, implementation of the National Policy to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance, 2014, the National Strategy to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance 2015-2017, AMR Situation Analysis Cambodia, 2017, and the Multi-Sectoral Action Plan (MSAP) on Antimicrobial Resistance in Cambodia, 2019-2023. The MSAP is currently under review and being updated.

Under the umbrella of MSAP, the Ministry of Health (MOH) launched the National Guidelines for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Healthcare Facilities in 2019, followed by practical training on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and training of trainers on Point Prevalence Survey (PPS). Moreover, MOH launched the National Policy and Guidelines on Antimicrobial Consumption (AMC) Monitoring in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The Law on Pharmaceutical Management has been reviewed, and a new law on pharmaceuticals is being drafted to enforce the effective regulation of medicines and antimicrobials. Self-medication and the over-the-counter sale of antimicrobials are one of the challenges in the country. The Workshop on Self-Benchmarking of the Cambodian Regulatory System for Medicines and Vaccines, held from 28 April to 2 May 2025, provided several recommendations to further strengthen the regulatory system for medicines and vaccines.

The Health Product Strategic Plan (HPPS), 2023-2030 aims to ensure access to medicines of assured quality, safety, and effectiveness for all Cambodians by improving oversight of medical products through enhanced adherence to legal standards, investing in human resources to effectively perform market authorisation and registration, strengthening supply chain structures to counter substandard and falsified medical products, and developing a monitoring framework to ensure efficient use of health products at public health facilities .

In these views, a short-term consultancy is required to strengthen the pharmaceutical system and ensure access to safe, effective, and quality essential medicines, including antimicrobials, in Cambodia.

2. Deliverables

Output 1: Introduction and implementation of antimicrobial consumption surveillance in Cambodia

Deliverable 1.1: Provide technical support for AMC pilot implementation in selected hospitals.

Deliverable 1.2: Support data cleaning, analysis, and preparation of data for submission to WPRACSS.

Output 2: Support implementation of the National AMS Guidelines and dissemination of AMS findings

Deliverable 2.1: Support DHS in follow-up actions arising from the TWG-AMS meeting, including supporting clarification of action points, preparing brief documentation, and facilitating communication with relevant focal points.

Deliverable 2.2: Provide technical inputs to ongoing discussions on the implementation of the National AMS Guidelines and the alignment of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) with AMS priorities.

Output 3: Support to strengthen the regulatory capacity of the Department of Drugs and Food (DDF) and the National Health Products Quality Control Centre (NHQC)

Deliverable 3.1: Support follow-up actions related to the December IDP Resource Mapping and CAPA Planning Workshop, including consolidation of key decisions, updating the CAPA/IDP tracking matrix, and coordinating with DDF focal points as needed.

Deliverable 3.2: Provide technical inputs to ongoing discussions on preparatory steps for the new Pharmaceutical Law, including clarification of outstanding points and consolidation of feedback from counterparts.

Deliverable 3.3: Provide coordination support for activities related to the emerging traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM) regulatory strengthening agenda, including communication with WPRO technical units and local counterparts, as requested.

Output 4: Support the update of the Cambodia essential medicines list (CEML) and the development of an essential diagnostics list for promoting evidence-based selection

Deliverable 4.1: Propose a concept note for the revision of the CEML

Deliverable 4.2: Organize and coordinate the revision process of the CEML with DDF, WPRO and HQ

Deliverable 4.3: Develop recommendations for suitable harmonization mechanisms between the national EML committee and disease programs

Output 5: Support the WHO Health System Development team in providing technical assistance in other areas of the pharmaceutical system as needed; and

Deliverable 5.1: Update a pharmaceutical country profile, as needed

Deliverable 5.2: Reports on pharmaceutical-related meetings if required

Output 6: Contribute to the district pharmaceutical audit in the Operational Districts of the PHC demonstration sites

Deliverable 6.1: Develop a methodology for a rapid pharmaceutical audit in the 3 OD

Deliverable 6.2: Produce the rapid audit report of the pharmaceutical system at OD level

Output 7: Submission of technical reports

Deliverable 7.1: Consultancy plan with timeline

Deliverable 7.2: Monthly reports

Deliverable 7.3: Final technical report with all deliverables (outputs 1-4) at the end of the assignment

3. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications

Essential: University degree in public health, pharmacy, medicine, epidemiology, health sciences, or other relevant fields.

Desirable: Advanced degree and/or training in international health, health law, public health, antimicrobial resistance, pharmaceutical affairs, pharmaceutical policies and/or relevant fields

Experience

Essential: At least seven (7) years of experience working in essential medicines, health technologies, antimicrobial resistance, pharmaceutical systems, or related areas, with exposure to medicines regulation or pharmaceutical policies.

Desirable: Having worked in resource-limited settings

Skills/Knowledge

Demonstrated expertise in health and pharmaceutical systems, including medicines regulation, supply chain, medicines financing, and rational use of medicines, including antimicrobials.
Ability to work independently and in close collaboration with WHO
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Attention to details