The global LHSS project helps low- and middle-income countries transition to sustainable, self-funded health finance systems that support high-performing overall health systems. The LHSS activity in Vietnam will work with the Government of Vietnam (GVN) to advance greater local ownership of HIV and TB prevention and control. Led by Abt Associates, the four-year activity will support Vietnam in increasing its domestic financing for HIV and TB services in the context of declining donor funding, using government resources more efficiently, and in assuming local ownership of HIV and TB prevention and control activities. Specific objectives are: (1) Support the GVN to strengthen its public financial management systems for public sector health and find greater efficiencies in social health insurance (SHI), (2) Increase and improve the efficiency of domestic financing of HIV prevention and treatment services; (3) Strengthen the capacity of Vietnam's supply chain management system; and (4) Transition of TB services into SHI.


In 2023, a new price law [1] was enacted, which includes provisions regarding the list of goods and services priced by the State. Specifically, medical quarantine and preventive medicine at public health facilities at public service providers, will have maximum prices set by the Ministry of Health, with specific prices determined by provincial People's Committees.


According to Point d, Section 2, Article 11 of Decree 85/2024/ND-CP, which details certain provisions of the Price Law, it is stipulated that “In cases where ministries or ministerial-level agencies set price frameworks, maximum prices, or minimum prices for provincial People's Committees to determine specific prices, such ministries or agencies have the right to issue pricing documents after receiving proposals from at least two-thirds of the provincial People's Committees.” Thus, with the newly issued regulations, the pricing of HIV preventive services services at public providers will be initially determined by the provinces. After receiving proposals from two-thirds of the provinces, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will then issue a circular establishing the maximum price.


Therefore, to support provinces in pricing HIV preventive services at public health facilities, the Vietnam Administration of HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC) has requested LHSS technical assistance in providing a national expert on pricing to develop pricing templates in collaboration with VAAC and provincial CDCs [JG1] [XK2] . The consultant will support provinces to use these templates to estimate province-specific prices, which the provincial CDCs will then use in their proposed pricing documents for approval by provincial People’s Committees and eventual submission to the MOH, which will make decision on the maximum prices.



The objective of this assignment is to support the VAAC in developing guidance and accompanying a pricing templates with examples of the pricing framework for pricing HIV/AIDS prevention services to be delivered at public health facilities.


Tasks:
The consultant will work closely with LHSS technical team, VAAC, DPF, GDPM, Provincial CDCs, and related government agencies to undertake the following tasks:

• Propose pricing guidance for HIV/AIDS prevention services to be delivered at public health facilities based on the circular 45/2024/TT-BYT [2] guiding the pricing methodology.
• Support VAAC in developing pricing templates for HIV/AIDS prevention services to be delivered at public health facilities as proposed by VAAC.
• Work with VAAC to finalize pricing templates for HIV/AIDS prevention services to be delivered at public health facilities, including specific examples for some of these services.
• Participate in training workshops on the pricing guidance and the use of pricing templates for HIV/AIDS prevention services as proposed by VAAC (if any).
• Provide technical support to the provinces in the process of pricing HIV/AIDS prevention services upon request.

Deliverables:

• Pricing templates for HIV/AIDS prevention services in the form of Excel files containing detailed cost categories, economic-technical norms, and reference unit prices for each item, along with related technical documents including principles, methodology, and guidance on the development of prices for HIV/AIDS prevention services (if any).
• Consultant monthly reports on the progress of task implementation and supporting documents if relevant.
A final consultancy report.

The expert's assignment is based in Hanoi, with regular consultation with the LHSS team, planned for the period from December 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025 for a total number of 40 working days.

• Graduate degree in economics, finance, public health, or equivalent.
• At least five years of relevant work experience, particularly in health financing and costing or pricing for health care services.
• Familiarity with costing methodologies and common pricing approaches for health care services.
• Good understanding of policies and regulations on health care service costing, price ceilings and frameworks.
• Ability to work effectively with VAAC, the MOH and other related government agencies.
Language requirement: Vietnamese. The ability to speak English would be an advantage.

All deliverables must be reviewed by the LHSS/Health financing specialist and approved by the Technical Director. The consultant can direct questions to the LHSS/Technical Director throughout the consultancy.


The consultant will use his/her computer and equipment as necessary to carry out the work.


Deadline: November 22, 2024
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.