Andrew OConnell

Health Systems Strengthening , Independent Consultant

Kerry, Ireland

Highly experienced senior international health sector professional with over 30 consecutive years’ experience in Health Systems Strengthening in a range of settings as senior sector lead, sector adviser, manager and consultant. Strategic thinker, self-motivated, high achiever, with excellent communication and organizational skills who ensures what needs to be done is done effectively and efficient

Contact Andrew OConnell
Area of Expertise:
  • Government, Governance, Reforms
  • Health, Doctors, Nurses, HIV/AIDS
Professional Experience:

SKILLS
-Design, management and evaluation of large-scale health programs.
-Operations management in post-conflict, fragile and insecure areas.
-Public Private Partnership practice and advisory.
-Institutional Development.
-Trouble-shooting and conflict management.
-Expertise in governance, accountability and anti-corruption.
-Experience in working with central and decentralized government structures.
-Adviser at senior level both within and externally to governments.
-Eye for detail and results-oriented.
-Expertise in developing and implementing national level policy and strategies, including translation to local level implementation.
-Trained in gender equality and child safeguarding.
-Able to adapt quickly to social and cultural requirements

WORK EXPERIENCE (most recent)

Deputy Secretary Ministry of Health and Medical Services Republic of Nauru, July 2021 - December 2024.
Coordinated the delivery of health and medical services in Nauru and overseas medical referrals. Lead on strategic and annual planning and budgeting for all health systems. Supported the Government of Nauru in internal and external relations with other Governments, UN Agencies and international organizations.

Regional Director Asia,
Nutrition International, New Delhi, India October 2016 to September 2019
Coordinated delivery of nutrition projects in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Philippines in collaboration with national and local governments, private sector and NGOs. Represented NI in regional and national dialogue with government, donors and other partners. Oversaw the management of over 100 full-time employees and over 300 contracted consultancy staff

Senior Adviser Public Private Partnerships, Danida, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Denmark, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
July 2012 -July 2016
Embedded Senior PPP adviser with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Tanzania. Responsible for revising the national PPP strategy for health and integrating PPP into the national Health and Nutrition Sector Strategic Plan.

Full-time Independent International Health Consultant
August 1999 to June 2001 & November 2002 to June 2012
Delivered 68 individual consultancies over12 years providing strategic and technical guidance and advice on developing and reviewing health sector policy, strategy and planning, urban health, maternal and new-born health, pharmaceutical supply systems, institutional development, anti-corruption and good governance for Asian Development Bank, DFID, Danida, European Union, Irish Aid and the World Bank on programs in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Inception Phase Coordinator, Department for International Development, United Kingdom. Ministry of Health and Population Malawi. July 2001 to September 2002
Strengthened sector wide coordination for delivery a comprehensive national sexual reproductive health program. Provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and development partners on how to use a sub-sector program to establish the mechanisms for a sector wide approach. Identified and proposed to the Ministry of Health and development partners on the way forward for establishing a sector wide approach to developing and implementing a new health sector strategy and program of work. Identified essential areas of the health system and governance that required further strengthening, developed the terms of reference and supervised the delivery of the same.


Education:

MSc Health Planning and Finance, University of London, London School of Economics and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 1993

NCEA Certificate Business Administration Institute of Technology Tralee, Ireland 1983

Available for:

  • Job opportunities

Years of Experience:

More than 20 years

Highest Qualification:

Masters

Languages:

English

Nationality:

Ireland

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