Technical Support

Key Expertise

Dr. Ghanshyam Gautam is a Health Economist by profession and has over ten years of experience in health policy and planning, financing reforms and social health protection. His key areas of expertise are strategy development, health systems reforms, health financing, social health protection, policy research and costing. Throughout his career, he has provided technical assistance to ministries, international organizations, private organizations, and international donors in the areas of health strategy and planning, health financing, health insurance, and resource tracking and costing.

His career highlights include leading the Post-Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) for Health Sector from the development partners’ side and his work in Afghanistan as a Health Economist in a USAID-funded Health Sector Resiliency Project.

He is currently employed with HERD International as Health Economist and Planning Advisor and is seconded to the Ministry of Health as part of the National Health Sector Support Programme (NHSSP).

Qualification

2007-PhD, Economics, Osaka Sangyo University, Japan

2001- MA, Economics, Tribhuvan University, Nepal

Work undertaken that best illustrates capability to handle the tasks assigned

Health Economist- The Palladium Group, USA: Dr. Gautam provided mentoring and training support Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in Afghanistan in health financing, policy processes and economic studies. He extended support in high-level advocacies for increased domestic resources for health, facilitated policy processes on health financing reforms, and supported health systems researches.

Costing Expert-Consultant, World Health Organization, Nepal: His responsibilities included analysing budget and expenditure data in the health sector, identifying resource requirements for costing of National Health Sector Strategy; and projecting the overall cost of implementing strategy over five years’ period (2015- 2020) with low, medium and high case scenarios.

Health Financing Expert, German International Cooperation, Nepal: As an independent consultant, Dr. Gautam extended support in the Health Sector Support Programme. His responsibilities included supporting in preparing the regulatory framework, scheme design and implementation procedure for national health insurance; analysing the current pricing and cost of delivering health services in relation to designing provider payment for health insurance; supervising analytical works towards the production of National Health Accounts; among others.

Technical Expert, NHSSP, Options Consultancy, UK: Dr. Gautam supported in formulating the Nepal Health Sector Strategy (2015/16-2019/20) by contributing in defining outcomes, outputs, target indicators and major interventions for the strategy, supporting in producing implementation plan as per the strategy and analysing expenditure pattern and forecasting financing scenario for the implementation period of the strategy.

Senior Programme Officer- German International Cooperation, Nepal: During this tenure, Dr. Gautam provided technical advice to the Ministry of Health and Population on health financing and social health protection; supported in conducting research studies and reviews, and explored reform options to improve health system performance; and engaged in stakeholder dialogue and consultation for the Health Sector Support Program.

Key Expertise

Mr. Ramesh Kumar Sharma is a highly sought after professional with over thirty-five years of experience with the Government of Nepal (GoN). Over the years, he has served in numerous influential positions within the government. He worked as the Secretary to the various agencies of the Government of Nepal from August 2015 to January 2017. Mr. Sharma has three years of experience as Gazetted Special Class Secretary of the GoN with working experiences in National Vigilance Centre, Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, Financial Comptroller General and Public Procurement Monitoring Office.

Mr. Sharma is currently employed with HERD International as Senior Public Procurement Advisor and is seconded to the Ministry of Health as part of the PPFM work stream of the National Health Sector Support Programme (NHSSP).

Qualification

1994- Diploma in Computer Technology, NCC, Nepal

1985- Master of Business Administration, Tribhuwan University, Nepal

Work undertaken that best illustrates capability to handle the tasks assigned

• Gazetted Ist Class Officer of GoN working in Public Service Commission as a Joint Secretary.
• Gazetted Ist Class Officer of GoN working in Public Service Commission as a Regional Director.
• Gazetted Ist Class Officer of GoN working in Revenue Investigation Department as Deputy Director General
• Gazetted Ist Class Officer of GoN in Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction as Joint Secretary.
• Facilitator of Interim Constitution Draft Committee of Nepal.
• Former Member of the Drafting Committee of Public Procurement Act, 2007 and Public Procurement Regulation, 2007 in 2005/06.
• Initiative Member of the Drafting Committee of the current amendment of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and Public Procurement Regulation, 2007 in 2016/17.
• Selected as a Best Innovator for "South Asia Procurement Innovation Award 2016/17" for e-GP execution in Nepal in 4th South Asia Region Public Procurement Conference (SARPPC) held from February 20-23 in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Bishnu Prasad Dulal is a Data Analysis and Research Design expert with fifteen years of experience in various institutions. His proficiency is in areas of public health research design, management, implementation, monitoring and evaluation including preparation of data collection tools and training facilitation. His proficiency in software such as Ms_office, CSPro, ODK, SPSS, STATA, Atlas/ti, and Optifood linear analysis makes statistical analyses and quantitative research analysis his area of expertise.

Over the years, he has been engaged in several public health issues including adolescent and reproductive health, and gender based violence and a part of over 40 health projects.

He is currently employed with HERD International as Data for Decision Making Coordinator and is seconded to the Ministry of Health as part of the National Health Sector Support Programme (NHSSP).

Qualification

2005- Master’s Degree in Population Studies/ Demography, University Campus, Kirtipur, Nepal.

Work undertaken that best illustrates capability to handle the tasks assigned

Data Analysis and Management Manager at Helen Keller International (HKI): Mr. Dulal was primarily responsible for analysis and presentation of findings for research, monitoring and evaluation data of the national nutrition programme ‘Suaahara’. He was also engaged in several other projects in HKI lending his data analysis expertise where necessary.

Data Analyst at Health Research and Social Development Forum (HERD): At HERD, Mr. Dulal served as the focal person for quantitative research, data management and monitoring and evaluation. His responsibilities included development of research instruments, coordination with national and international stakeholders, facilitation of research trainings, and team coordination.

Data Management Officer at Center for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities (CREHPA): He gained extensive experience in research designing, implementation, data analysis, and report writing during his tenure at CREHPA.