Healthcare business Opportunities in the Developing World
End : 22 Mar 2007 - 15:00
A half-day seminar aimed at companies in the healthcare sector focussing on the opportunities through the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Organisations and the World Bank.
One-to-one appointments with speakers are available after the seminar. This seminar and pre-bookable appointments are totally free of charge.
DTI Conference Centre
1 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0ET
The World Health Organization (WHO) www.who.org
WHO was established in 1947 to provide worldwide assistance towards the attainment of the highest possible level of health for all. Its activities include; providing advice and guidance to governments in all aspects of health management, developing global health standards, strengthening national health programmes; and developing and transferring appropriate technologies, information and standards.
From its headquarters in Geneva, WHO manages a network of six regional offices who are responsible, in turn, for directing the work of over 140 country offices around the world. In 2005, WHO spent some US$80.8 million on drugs and biological items and another US$13.6 million on hospital and teaching equipment.
UNICEF www.unicef.org
UNICEF advocates and works for the protection of children’s rights and is the only UN organisation dedicated exclusively to children. It works with other UN bodies, governments and NGOs to provide community-based assistance in primary health care, basic education, and safe water and sanitation in developing countries for children up to 12 years old. Through their major procurement centre based in Copenhagen, UNICEF co-operates with governments, NGOs and other UN agencies through 8 regional offices and 126 field offices covering 162 countries and territories world-wide.
UNICEF is the UN’s largest buyer of vaccines and biologicals and spent US$439 million on procuring these items in 2005. UNICEF also procured US$97 million worth of medical supplies and US$76 million worth of pharmaceuticals in 2005.
IFRC - International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies www.ifrc.org
Headquartered in Geneva, the IFRC is not part of the United Nations. However it operates in cooperation with several UN Agencies.
The Federation provides a coordinating function for the National Societies within the regional and international arena, and also plays a strategic role in developing and strengthening the resources of the Red Cross worldwide. More specifically, its activities include; Representing the National Societies internationally, assisting the National Societies in the planning and implementation of natural disaster preparedness and long-term development programmes of a humanitarian nature (eg community healthcare) and directing and co-ordinating international relief programmes. IFRC carries out this work through its headquarters in Geneva, and through a worldwide network of seven regional and over 175 country delegations, which provide direct assistance to the National Societies in the field. A list of the most commonly procured items with their specifications is available by visiting http://www.icrc.org/emergency-items.
The World Bank Group www.worldbank.org
Ensuring adequate levels of basic health and nutrition lies at the heart of poverty reduction and economic development. Over the past several decades improvements in income and education, hygiene and housing, water supply and sanitation, nutrition and access to contraception have brought about notable health gains for much of the world. Yet the health, nutrition and population challenges for most developing countries remain great as the 21st century begins.
The lending portfolio for the World Bank Health, Nutrition & Population Sector has been declining over the last three years. However in financial year 2006 US$2.1 billion was committed. The breakdown of this is US$822 million to Latin America and the Caribbean, US$614 million to Sub Saharan Africa, US$340 million to Europe & Central Asia, US$196 million to South Asia and US$161 million to East Asia & the Pacific.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB—www.iadb.org)
Since its creation, the IDB has been active in health, predominantly financing projects in Disease Prevention, Maternal & Early Childhood Healthcare, Nutrition & Wellness, Health Services and specialised Healthcare, but also in other areas such as Health Institutions & Management, Health programmes, Health reform and Financing and Privatisation. In 2005 approximately US$123.6 million of IDB’s funds were allocated to this sector.
Mr Paul Acriviadis (Head of Procurement, WHO), Mrs Birgitte Olsen (IFRC), Mr Francisco Blanco, (Chief of Healthcare UNICEF Copenhagen) and a representative from the World Bank Group, Washington D.C. will be conducting presentations during the morning and will also be available to meet with companies individually in the afternoon. This is an excellent and rare opportunity to meet face-to-face with key contacts.
The WHO and IFRC officers will be accompanied by Mrs Eleanor Baha, Trade Attaché at the British Consulate-General in Geneva, the UNICEF officer will be accompanied by Mr Bob Cobley, Senior Trade Officer at the British Embassy in Copenhagen and the World Bank representative will be accompanied by Mrs Yvonne Dale, Vice-Consul, Global Development at the British Embassy in Washington D.C. Eleanor, Bob and Yvonne will also be available for meetings with companies to offer advice on procurement procedures as well as in other international organisations with an interest in healthcare based in Geneva, Copenhagen and Washington D.C.
Programme
10.00 am Welcome & Introduction
10.10 am The World Health Organization (WHO)
(Mr Paul Acriviadis, Head of Procurement)
10.40 am Overview of UNICEF
(TBC)
11.10 am Coffee Break
11.20 am Speaker Slot
(TBC)
11.50 am International Red Cross Federation (IFRC)
(Birgitte Olsen)
12.20 pm World Bank/Inter-American Development Bank Procurement Procedures
(Yvonne Dale, British Embassy Washington D.C.)
12.50 pm World Bank Healthcare Strategy
(TBC)
1.15 pm Lunch & Networking
2.00 pm Pre-Arranged one-to-one meetings with speakers
Who should attend?
Companies within the healthcare sector who feel they have a product or service that would be of interest to the UN Agencies, World Bank and the International/British Red Cross. Similarly staff who are new to organisations dealing with any of these entities would find this seminar of interest. This is also an excellent opportunity to find out how the UK Trade & Investment overseas network can assist in helping you to win business from the UN, World Bank and IFRC.
This event is totally free of charge, to book a place and/or one-to-one appointments, please contact Claire Gamage on teh details below
Each year, some US$60 billion are disbursed, in the form of concessionary guaranteed loans and grants, by governments and the multilateral development projects, designed jointly by the donor and beneficiary government. Much of this implementation is contracted out to the private sector, representing significant business opportunities for consultants, works contractors and suppliers of goods and services in the Healthcare sector.
It is a potentially huge market for British firms and the UK currently gains between 4-17% of multilateral aid-funded business with healthcare being one of the key sectors. The various International Funding Institutions/Donor Agencies have put this sector high on their list in order to help them achieve the Millennium Development Goals of ensuring a better life for those in lesser-developed countries by 2015.
UK Trade & Investment Healthcare sector team in conjunction with the Aid-Funded Business Service are giving you the opportunity to listen to presentations from four Procurement staff from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Organisations, UNICEF and the World Health Organisation. Delegates will also have to opportunity to hear from a representative of the World Bank Group who will talk about the Bank’s future strategy towards Healthcare. All presentations will also cover each organisation’s procurement methods and delegates will have the opportunity to participate in one-to-one meetings with the speakers after the seminar.