1- Background

For several years, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has been working on pharmaceutical sector reform, which has positively impacted the quality, safety, and efficacy of pharmaceutical products, as well as Lebanon's overall health status.

In 2018, the MoPH began the process of implementing the National Barcode System in Lebanon by requesting that all registered pharmaceutical importers and local manufacturers who intend to import or produce pharmaceutical products use the 2D Matrix Barcode, as per the standards of the "Global Standards One" GS1, on the outer pack of all registered/under-registration pharmaceutical products. The "MediTrack" pharmaceutical traceability information system was created to connect all stakeholders in the supply chain in a single network and allow them to share information.

Since 2020, the "MediTrack" system has been implemented in all drugstores (around 200) to track imported medications all the way back to the supplier's purchase and distribution.

In 2022, due to the limited budget allocated by the Lebanese central bank for total subsidization of catastrophic illness medications, there is an urgent need to track the dispensing of cancer medications up to the patient level in both the public and private sectors.

In September 2022, a pilot phase was launched to connect hospitals and community pharmacies with WHO support to test the system, evaluate its feasibility, time, and cost, and identify gaps to improve system performance prior to a full-scale project implementation.

The first phase of the project was completed successfully by developing the MediTrack system in accordance with GS1 requirements, testing the software program, and conducting a pilot run with the required stakeholders. MediTrack is now used by 60 hospitals and 180 pharmacies to dispense subsidized catastrophic illness medications to their patients. There are approximately 3800 remaining pharmacies, in addition to the remaining hospitals and PHC centers, that must be linked to MediTrack by 2023.

Following the successful implementation of the NBS at the MOPH with medicine importers and distributors, the MoPH eHealth department launched phase two of the NBS, with WHO support, to achieve the MediTrack goal of tracing all types of medicines all the way up to the patient level.

According to the decision, the inspection department was connected to MediTrack by January 2023, and inspectors began their official role on MediTrack. All imported medications added to MediTrack by importers remain pending until the inspector approves and the products are released to the market.

More than three thousand community pharmacies will be linked to Meditrack, and according to MOPH decree 988, all MOPH registered medications will be distributed to pharmacies through Meditrack beginning in January 2024.

2- Job Description

Under the direct supervision of the Head of the National E-health program (Ms. Lina Abou Mrad), the Pharmacist role is to ensure timely and accurate data related to pharmaceutical products on MoPH data platforms mainly the MediTrack system. The pharmacist will help in establishing rules and procedures for the data validation of pharmaceutical products information systems and will ensure data privacy across MoPH departments and external stakeholders. He/she will also support in the proper implementation at all Meditrack system stakeholders.

3- Job Type

Full Time

4- Work to be Performed.

Output 1: Timely and accurately update MediTrack database System through continuous follow-up with pharmacies and health facilities mainly the following tasks:

- Deliverable 1.1: Provide monthly updated number of registered pharmacies through Meditrack on respective database with exchange rates and checking on transactions performed.
- Deliverable 1.2: Provide weekly updated database of from active Meditrack implementers (pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers, importers, wholesalers/distributors)

o Provide monthly status towards reaching the planned targets (ex: number of pharmacies per region connected to the system).

- Deliverable 2.1: A weekly schedule of visits to community and hospital pharmacies
- Deliverable 2.2: Fill the standard questionnaire , with the ability to respond to inquiries on Meditrack implementation.
- Deliverable 2.3: Report on the status of the Meditrack implementation

- Deliverable 3.1: training sessions recording.
- Deliverable 3.2: follow-up with trainees for Meditrack setup and implementation.

- Deliverable 4.1: Review price revisions submitted (for price increase, price decrease, and objections) and provide the accepted authorized price.
- Deliverable 4.2: prepare the drugs pricing Index according to the foreign currency rates provided from BDL.

- Perform any other task requested from the Head of the National E-Health Program.

5- Specific requirements

Qualifications required: PharmD degree, Master of Science in Pharmacy, or any equivalent degree. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree are eligible if they demonstrate more years of experience.

Experience required:
Essential:Two years’ relevant work experience in pharmaceutical supply chain management. - Proven experience in public related settings. - Lebanese Nationality.

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:
- Strong knowledge of the legal and regulatory frameworks of pharmaceuticals products in Lebanon.
- Proven record of conducting pharmaceutical provision, pharma, and health products management.
- Effective communication, interpersonal and organizational skills.
- General ability to report, draft ideas and concepts, clearly and concisely in written and oral form.
- General ability to research, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize qualitative and quantitative information.
- Computer Skills: Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office including Word.

Language requirements:
English; Arabic; French (read, write, speak)

6- Place of assignment

Submit your cv to the Ministry of Public Health email address: info@moph.gov.lb