BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the national and global economy, with a high financial burden particularly on health-care services. The domestic economy has been heavily affected by the necessary global and domestic actions taken to contain the outbreak. In a previous estimate, the Movement Control Orders implemented since last September had cost Malaysia an estimated 700 million ringgit (US$ 172.7 million) a day in lost economic output or GDP, less than the estimated 2.4 billion ringgit (US$ 592.3 million) a day when the entire country was locked down in March 2020.

Between 2020 and 2021, the Malaysian Government has announced five stimulus packages that amounted to 71 billion ringgit. Key initiatives have included accelerated social security payments under the existing programmes, accelerated withdrawals from the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), extended tax relief on communication equipment and locally produced cars, expansion of the wage subsidy programme, and additional grants for microenterprises. They have also included relaxation of the unemployment benefits eligibility criteria and extension of terms on 18 January 2021. The most recent stimulus package, which was announced on 17 March 2021 for a total of 20 billion ringgit or 1.3% of GDP, includes additional funds for the procurement of vaccines, additional cash payments to the vulnerable, extension of targeted wage subsidies, grants for state-owned enterprises, increases in small-scale infrastructure projects, and fuel subsidies. The package also includes measures to extend financing for firms and improve the digitization of the economy.

In the health-care sector, evidence-based planning and management of COVID-19, particularly for hospital services, is important to ensure the best use of available resources and preparedness for the ever-changing epidemiology of COVID-19. This includes the mobilization of human resources, procurement of personal protective equipment, laboratory facilities, upgrading of hospital facilities and hospital equipment. Since April 2020, mathematical models have been developed to capture key aspects of SARS-CoV-2 transmission along with national strategies for epidemic control and the future impact on health-care services.

The aim of this APW is to illustrate the overall economic burden of COVID-19 and to help provide supplementary data-driven considerations for decision-makers (in addition to other contributing factors and priorities) to strategize the management of COVID-19 in the future.

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

The purpose of this APW is to develop an economic model of the impact of COVID-19 based on existing COVID-19 transmission models in order to provide supplementary data-driven considerations to assist the financial planning of health-care services in Malaysia.

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

The contractor will perform the following specific tasks:

1. Conduct economic modelling for infectious disease in Malaysia using real-time and real-life applicable scenarios based on COVID-19 transmission dynamics in Malaysia and the corresponding impact on health-care services.
2. Conduct virtual training sessions such as lectures, workshops and discussions on the general framework of strategic purchasing and its application and installation to the Malaysian context of health-care reform.
3. Produce scientific publications or policy/technical report on estimating the economic burden of COVID- 19 to health-care services in Malaysia and disseminate the findings to relevant stakeholders.

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

• • The contractor will work with the Malaysian Health Technology Assessment Section (MaHTAS), Ministry of Health on the delivery of the following activities:
• • Perform preparatory work and provide support by email, videoconferencing, meetings and discussions.
• • Conduct workshops and facilitate discussions among government officers, researchers, academicians and other relevant stakeholders.
• • Draft scientific publications or policy/technical reports.
• • Collaborate with an international consultant in areas that support the work to produce the outputs below.

Outputs and deliverables

Output 1: Collaborate with MaHTAS and an international consultant to develop an economic burden model based on a COVID-19 infectious disease model to provide supplementary data-driven considerations to assist financial planning of health-care services. This includes carrying out necessary data collection and data extraction with local collaborators.

Deliverable 1.1: Produce an inception report of the economic model to estimate the economic burden of COVID- 19 on health-care services in Malaysia.

Output 2: Collaborate with an international consultant to develop capacity at the Ministry of Health by conducting a two-day virtual training workshop for 40 officers on how to conduct economic modelling for infectious disease in Malaysia using real-time and real-life applicable scenarios.

Deliverable 2.1: Produce a workshop report with training materials for capacity-building in economic modelling for infectious disease in Malaysia.

Output 3: Disseminate the findings of the economic model to estimate the economic burden of COVID- 19 on health-care services in Malaysia to respective key stakeholders

Deliverable 3.1: Produce scientific publications or policy/technical reports on the economic model to estimate the economic burden of COVID- 19 on health-care services in Malaysia.

Deliverable 3.2: Conduct a virtual workshop to present the findings of the economic model to estimate the economic burden of COVID- 19 on health-care services in Malaysia to respective key stakeholders.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Institutions or research groups made up of individuals possessing the following qualifications, experiences and skills:

EDUCATION

Essential:  An advanced university degree in public health or health economics / pharmacoeconomics or related disciplines

Desirable: PhD in any of the above subjects. Training in modelling and work experience in health economic analysis and/or estimation of burden of disease.

EXPERIENCE

Essential: A minimum of seven years of experience in conducting economic modelling and/or estimating the economic burden of infectious disease.

Desirable: Have expertise and experience in conducting cost analyses for estimation of burden of disease.

Able to work closely with international collaborators and local institutions within the scope of this project.

Able to provide rapid response to arising queries by the local collaborators.

Have an excellent understanding of the Malaysian health-care system, particularly the public health-care system and availability of Malaysian health-care data.

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

1. Excellent communication skills, including written and verbal skills
2. Ability to work under pressure
3. Ability to work on a team with limited supervision
4. Excellent writing skills

LANGUAGES

Proficient in written and spoken English (Read ‐ Write ‐ Speak / Expert or Intermediate)

COMPETENCIES

The contractor must be able to:

1. Work across multiple teams or institutions remotely
2. Build and promote partnerships across the Organization and beyond
3. Move forward in a changing environment
4. Ensure the effective use of resources
5. Foster integration and teamwork
6. Communicate in a credible and effective way.
7. Work across multiple teams or institutions remotely
8. Build and promote partnerships across the Organization and beyond
9. Move forward in a changing environment
10. Ensure the effective use of resources
11. Foster integration and teamwork
12. Communicate in a credible and effective way.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Duration of contract: 4.5 months starting 15 August 2021

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV {for individual contractors} or Company Profile {for institutional applications} and Expression of Interest {cover letter} to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < [email protected] > by 27 July 2021 . 

The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include their proposed daily consultancy fee and availability.

Please use Tender Notice No. 134546 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.