Health Technology Adviser

Location: Vientiane

Deadline for submitting the application: 01/01/2025 

Start date: 01/03/2025 

Contract type: Limited 

Contract term (months): 34.00 

1. BACKGROUND

The Lao and Luxembourg governments decided for the fifth Lao-Luxembourg Indicative Cooperation Programme (ICP V) to maintain and deepen collaboration nationally, but with emphasis on the provinces of Bokeo, Bolikhamxay, Khammouane and Vientiane, through following four sectoral programmes (2023-2027) with a total budget of approximately 106.3 MEUR, as follows:

• Health and Nutrition (H&N) with a budget of ca. 35.8 MEUR;
• Local Development with a budget of ca. 34 MEUR (including Swiss co-financing);
• Skills for Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry (STAF) with a budget of ca. 25 MEUR (including Swiss and EU co-financing);
• Rule of Law, Access to Justice and Good Governance (ROLAG) with a budget of 11.5 MEUR.

Both governments also agreed to seek strong linkages between the four programmes to optimize synergy and impact.

The earmarked interventions will be interconnected through a common human capital development approach towards sustainable results. This will be the foundation of ICP V and key to contribute to eradicate extreme poverty and strengthen socio-economic inclusion in the target areas.

The Health and Nutrition programme is the continuation and further expansion of two previous healthcare support initiatives named Lao-Luxembourg health sector support programme (LL-HSSP). The programme will work in close cooperation with the United Nations Joint Programme (UNJP), especially at the provincial level in the fields of Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) and nutrition.

The duration of the sectoral programme is set at five years comprising a total budget of ca. 32.5 million EUR, including 4.5 million EUR for Aide au Développement de la Santé (ADS), a Luxembourg non-governmental organization (NGO) working for more than 20 years in Lao PDR in the field of cardiology.

The programme will predominantly contribute to the long term change objective that Lao people have access to an essential health service package (including RMNCAH and nutrition services) of adequate quality and affordable to all, leaving no one behind, whereby (i) Lao people do indeed have “access” to those health services, (ii) those health services are affordable to all, and (iii) those health services provided to Lao people are of good quality.

The programme will uphold a geographic focus on all districts in the three provinces of Bolikhamxay, Khammouane and Vientiane Province but aims to deepen interventions to enhance overall effectiveness and efficiency. Programme expansion to Bokeo province will interface with a parallel Luxembourg-financed Local Development programme as well as the UNJP.

For good quality health service to be provided to Lao people, eight broad areas of intervention are described as part of the ToC pathway, each contributing to Human Resources Capital Development (HRCD).

Overall, the ICP V sectoral programme aims at creating favourable conditions for institutional and technical sustainability with (i) the accent put on HRCD, training and capacity development activities, (ii) an emphasis on embedding supported activities into the national management structures and (iii) the institutionalisation and expansion of the Joint Participatory Mechanism i.e. a “multiplication” co-financing apparatus between Laos and Luxembourg to finance health care operations and out-of-pocket expenses at grassroots level in the participating provinces.

Regarding the national level, the Health and Nutrition programme will closely work together with other bilateral and multilateral actors in the sector to ensure Luxembourg interventions are harmonized, including in policy dialogue, practical collaboration and coordination.

2. OBJECTIVES

The Health Technology Adviser will play a key role in supporting the assessment, procurement, and management of medical equipment for beneficiary hospitals in Vientiane, Bolikhamxay, Khammoune and Bokeo provincial and district hospitals. The role involves conducting comprehensive Health Technology Assessments (HTA) and implementing the Health Technology Management (HTM) concept to ensure efficient and sustainable use of health technology resources.

In performing his duty, the Health Technology Adviser will:

• Provide expert advice and technical assistance for the health technology component under LAO/035 ;
• Liaise with the SSA for the Health & Nutrition programme on matters related to health technology;
• Collaborate with counterpart ministries on matters related to health technology.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES

General duties

• Lead the implementation and monitoring of activities related to healthcare technology management and the procurement of medical equipment and plants for health facilities ;
• Support the continuity of healthcare services during renovation and construction phases through planning and logistical coordination.

Planning and reporting :

• Provide strategic advice on health technology and implementation methodologies ;
• Contribute to the preparation of quarterly and annual progress reports, workplans, and financial programming.

Technical responsibilities :

• Health Technology Assessment and Management:
  • Develop and support implementation of the HTM concepts in the provincial hopsitals(orgnise workshops, endow with tools and train technical staff) ;
  • Together with counterparts, conduct inventories and functional assessments of existing physical assets in target health facilities ;
  • Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for equipment management and monitoring.
• Evaluate medical equipment and technologies to determine suitability, effectiveness, and alignment with hospital needs:
  • Develop technical specifications for equipment, ensuring validation from concerned stakeholders ;
  • Organize and monitor commissioning processes, including user and technician training ;
  • Support health technology components of healthcare waste management activities.
• Procurement oversight:
  • Prepare tender dossiers, including administrative and technical criteria ;
  • Organize and participate in tender evaluation committees and oversee the preparation of evaluation reports ;
  • Advise on specifications for fixed plant equipment, such as waste treatment systems, medical gases, and HVAC systems.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Liaise with ROFVTE and LuxDev HQ on contract requirements and acquisition procedures ;
• Prepare memos, justifications, and other documentation for procurement processes ;
• Monitor the execution of equipment and maintenance contracts (e.g., blood cold chain).

4. PROFILE

• University degree in biomedical engineering.
• Minimum of 10 years’ work experience in international development.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in HTM and HTA.
• Experience in capacity development(training) will be an advantage
• Previous work experience in Laos or Southeast Asia will be an advantage.
• Lao or Thai language skills will be an advantage.