Background
Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) provides life-saving emergency relief and longer-term medical care to some of the most vulnerable and excluded communities around the world. As an independent medical humanitarian organisation, we deliver care based only on need, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, religion or political affiliation.
Children represent the majority of our patients. However, research and development into new medical products is often targeted at the adult market and it can be many years before new medical advances reach children, even when they are the most affected by a disease. This is reflected across a range of diseases and medical products, including vaccines, medicines and equipment.
In humanitarian settings, the many challenges in access to medical products can be greatly exacerbated for children. Paediatric formulations with safe dosing are often more difficult to acquire due to a multitude of reasons including minimum order quantities, cost and transport challenges, or in some case because the formulation may not yet exist. Even, particularly in outbreak response, some new vaccines have been licenced earlier for adults – despite the disease being more severe in children, such as in the case of Mpox.
Gap analysis
MSF has previously advocated for access to medical products for children, including treatments and diagnostics, for diseases such as Malaria, HIV and TB. However, the challenges which prevent access to medical products for children have not been analysed and addressed more broadly. We aim to define gaps in access to Paediatric medical products, especially formulations of medications, in humanitarian contexts.
Objective
To create examples across disease areas, beyond the traditional areas of focus, to highlight the broader issue of access to health products for children, to support exploration of targets for advocacy agendas aimed at improving access for children.
Expected Results:
Case studies to support paediatrics advocacy strategy which can inform MSF UK and OCA Strategic Plans 2026-2031.
Expected Activity
- Reviews of:
- availability and access of paediatric medical formulations for specific conditions
- WHO and National guidelines
- MSF supply lists
- Consultations with external and internal case studies
Deliverables:
- Analysis summary highlighting the key systemic issues
- Example case studies
- Recommendations
Deadlines: TBC
If successful there is the possibility to submit a proposal to support the execution of the approved recommendations
Profile:
Essential:
- Medical qualification in paediatrics (Knowledge of vaccines, therapeutics, public health and epidemiology.
- Experience working in resource-limited settings.
- An understanding of access to medicines priorities in developing/humanitarian settings
- An understanding of global health policy and the key actors/stakeholders in the global
- health arena.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Ability to work independently, with minimal supervision and to meet set deadlines.
- Strong team-working skills and experience, particularly in a matrix management environment.
- Excellent communication skills, oral as well as written.
- Proficiency in spoken and written English,
- Genuine interest in and commitment to the humanitarian principles and challenges of
- MSF
How to Apply:
To be submitted:
- A proposal to include (max 2 pages):
- Proposed approach
- A high-level plan
- What you see as being in/out of scope
- Assumptions made, questions or areas of uncertainty.
- Examples of previous work – provide a summary of similar work that you have developed and delivered before.
Your CV (maximum 2 pages).
- Total fee proposal (Pro Bono submissions welcomed).
Deadline: 11th April
For further questions, please contact: admin.mu@london.msf.org
