• Pharmaceutical consultant. Experience in Medicines Supply Management, National Medicines Policy development and implementation support, access to essential medicines, rational use and selection of essential and priority medicines.

• Aarti Patel recently finished a long-term assignment as the Technical Advisor to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Pharmaceutical Programme. SADC is a regional programme involving 14 SADC Member States. In her role as Technical Advisor, Aarti Patel supported the SADC in the implementation of the SADC Pharmaceutical Business Plan. The work involved participation in pharmaceutical sector reviews, evaluation of procurement, regulatory and policy systems towards shaping the regional pharmaceutical harmonisation initiatives: pooled procurement, regulatory harmonisation and regional essential medicines lists and treatment guidelines for priority diseases.

• Previously, Aarti Patel was on the advisory committee of the WHO-HAI pricing project. During this assignment, she piloted the pricing methodology in South Africa.

• Prior to her consultancy work, Aarti Patel worked in the Pharmaceutical Industry in South Africa (1989 - 1991), was a Chief Pharmacist for the Essential Medicines Programme in KwaZulu-Natal, SA (1998 - 2001), lecturer in the Schools of Nursing (SA, UKZN; 2001 - 2003) and Pharmacy, University of Otago, New Zealand (2003 - 2009).

• Her field experience is mainly focused on southern Africa.

Contact info: Aarti.Patel@hera.eu