International Consultant - Safe and Affordable Surgery/NCD Specialist, WHO Solomon Islands

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Purpose of the Consultancy

In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and WHO Representative Office the consultant will:

• Improve diabetes and diabetic foot screening and management in primary care by scaling up policy guidelines, clinical coaching, quality improvement, and strategic planning, with regional dissemination and publications.
• Support the Safe and Affordable Surgery (SAS) program by reducing late diabetic foot cases through improved screening, early management, better outcome monitoring, and strengthened facility-based sterilization practices.
• Strengthen a functional national diabetes programme through enhanced policy, planning, coordination, and development of evidence-based accreditation standards for training and health facility.
  
   

Background

NCDs

The WHO Country Office Solomon Islands supports the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in strengthening NCD prevention and health service strengthening. The WHO NCD team provides technical support, coordinates prevention efforts, and works closely with national and external partners.

Diabetes is a major public health issue in Solomon Islands, affecting one in five adults. Diabetic foot cases frequently exceed surgical capacity at the National Referral Hospital and provincial hospitals. Primary health facilities need capacity building for effective diabetes and hypertension prevention and management.

This activity builds on a clinical coaching approach currently being scaled up in Honiara, focusing on improving primary care practices through coaching, data-driven quality improvement, and strengthened health system support.

SAS

The MHMS in Solomon Islands is committed to building a safe and affordable surgery (SAS) programme using public health principles. A focus of this approach is building a grounds-up programme, based on local needs. As a first phase, the National Referral, Kilu’ufi, Good Samaritan, Gizo and Kirakira hospitals were selected for early implementation and development of quality improvement tools and methods. Sterilization services were prioritized as a first step because of their foundational importance to SAS and general IPC. Improving sterilization services requires the introduction of a multi-stakeholder approach for continuous quality improvement at district hospital level and above – critical to building quality SAS services and staff engagement over time. Sterilization is an essential foundation of all SAS and IPC activities.

Objectives

Diabetes programme development

• Support the development, testing, and national scale-up of clinical coaching and quality improvement approaches to strengthen early screening and management of diabetes (including diabetic foot and wounds), hypertension, and dyslipidemia at PHC level.
• Support the development and implementation of a PHC diabetes assessment and planning framework, including data-driven tools, databases, and dashboards, and contribute to drafting national guidelines and clinical coaching standards for diabetes and diabetic foot care.

SAS programme development

• Support on-going sterilization coaching, assessment and planning and facilitator training at early implementation hospitals;
• Support development of a hospital diabetic foot database for tracking progress and use data to develop targeted approaches to limiting late diabetes referrals;
• Develop implementation guides for sterilization service assessments and for sterilization facilitator training.

Policy, strategy and coordination

• Provide policy and technical advice to strengthen national diabetes and diabetic foot programmes, including improving implementation, evaluation, cross-sector coordination, compliance with international standards, and alignment across stakeholders such as the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, partners, and health facilities.
• Support evidence-based policy development, guideline integration into education and accreditation systems, research and publications, and facilitate knowledge sharing through workshops and regional collaboration across Pacific countries.

Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

Start date:  20 April 2026

End date:  31 December 2026

Methods (s) to carry out the activities

The consultant will provide remote and in-person coaching to support local staff in improving diabetes and hypertension (including dyslipidemia) screening and management, including developing 6–12 month facility plans and training facilitators. They will work closely with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and partners to strengthen implementation, mobilize resources, and provide strategic advice for diabetes, SAS, and IPC programmes.

Additionally, the consultant will conduct data analysis and literature reviews to develop technical tools, improve hospital assessment approaches, and establish a diabetic foot data system and dashboard using DHIS2, informing decision-making, publications, and programme reviews.

Deliverables

The consultant will support training of facilitators and multi-stakeholder teams in diabetes assessment and planning methods and tasks at focus facilities. He/she will oversee: completion of diabetic audit checklists and reviews of outpatient services; observation of environments and practices for diabetes management; review of hospital SAS resources; SAS multistakeholder formative interviews; development, testing and implementation of diabetes practice coaching at facilities in collaboration with stakeholders; data entry, analysis, synthesis, interpretation; and use of data for short, intermediate and long-term planning. He/she will develop a summary report of the main findings.

Output 1: Diabetes programme support

Deliverables:

1.1 Develop and testing national clinical coaching checklists for hypertension and dyslipidemia;
1.2 Develop and test quality improvement methods and approaches for hypertension and dyslipidemia;
1.3 Develop and test quality improvement methods and approaches for active foot;
1.4 Finalize facilitators guide and quality imperovement assessment tools for diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia;
1.5 50-100% of targeted PHC staff in scale-up provinces coached;
1.6 PHC diabetes assessment and planning done at diabetes implementation facilities in targeted areas for facility, provincial and national planning and quality improvement;
1.7 PHC assessment and planning database, dashboard operational for all implementation provices; updated national M and E framework;
1.8 Summary of quality improvement methods and approaches used in implementation areas;
1.9 National guidelines for diabetes and diabetic foot assessment and planning; and clinical coaching guidelines for diabeties and diabetic foot screening and early management.

Output 2: SAS programme development

Deliverables:

2.1 Sterilization follow-up reports – staff practices, progress with actions and next steps;
2.2 NRH diabetic foot ward database operational; with monthly reports and dashboard;

Output 3:  Policy, strategy and coordination

3.1 3 peer reviewed articles completed and submitted for publication – diabetes screening and management;
3.2 Programme support documents for diabetes and diabetic foot management (e.g. updated national SOPs, implementation strategy/action plans, national policy directives on organization of clinics and strategies for improving quality, health communication materials or approaches);
3.3 Reports of meetings, workshops, facilitator training, Regional presentations or workshops; summary presentations on key data, findings and experience.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Education:

Essential: Undergraduate degree in medicine or relevant field.
Desirable: Master's degree (or higher) in medicine and public health or other relevant medical related field.

Work Experience:

Essential: Minimum ten years of relevant work experience in supporting country and health facility level planning, implementation, scale up, monitoring and evaluation of newborn health programmes in developing country settings.
Desirable: Extensive working experience in Pacific Islands Countries, including PNG, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands; working experience in the Western Pacific Region including Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Viet Nam. Experience with NCD and SAS programming.

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

• Expertise in the gathering, analysis and use of epidemiological data – particularly in the area of SAS, diabetes care; and health systems.
• Knowledge and field experience with assessment, review, planning of IPC and sterilization services or SAS clinical services or systems; and diabetes PHC and/or other RMNCAH PHC
• High level technical skill in core areas such as programme planning, management, monitoring and evaluation
• Experience in planning and facilitation of meetings and workshops; writing and development of tools, methods and guidelines; publications in SAS, diabetes, RMNCH topic areas; and advocacy and discussions with senior country staff about programme financing, policy and advocacy.
• Ability to establish harmonious working relationships as part of a team, adapt to diverse educational and cultural backgrounds, and maintain a high standard of personal conduct.
• Ability to demonstrate gender equity and cultural appropriateness in the delivery of services to Member State.

Language requirements:

English language; expert level required for reading - writing – speaking

Location

Remotely and with at least 3 visits of up to a month to Honiara and outlying provinces of Solomon Islands

Travel

The Consultant is expected to travel to the country at least 3 times for up to month each time, with the work location to include implementation provices, Honiara and the Honiara Capital District, according to the itinerary and estimated schedule that would be agreed with WHO Country Office.

All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance.

Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration: Payband level C - USD 11,000 per month (USD 500/day)
Expected duration of contract: 7 months (154 working days)

Additional Information:

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