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International Consultancy for technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan on establishing a framework for neonatal screenings system.

Ashkhabad

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: Ashkhabad
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
    • Medical Practitioners
    • Sexual and reproductive health
  • Closing Date: Closed

This assignment supports setting a framework for establishment of the neonatal screenings system provided with effective follow-up, to address the urgent need in improving the number of timely diagnosed children prevented from developmental and disability risks and establishing and providing comprehensive Support to children with developmental delays, difficulties, and/or disabilities and their families during the critical early years.



If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.


For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.


International Consultancy for technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan on establishing a framework for neonatal screenings system.


1.  Program information:


UNICEF mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF strives to establish children's rights as international standards of behavior towards children.


Country Programme Outcome:


By end-2020, all children, including children with developmental difficulties, have access to quality health services to ensure child survival, health and better developmental outcomes


Expected outputs:


Output 1: National policies, legislation, strategies and plans with budgets adopted in line with international standards, for modelling innovative approaches and scaling up of evidence based high impact health interventions in MCH, nutrition and ECD.


Output 2: Availability of and access to essential quality evidence based interventions, skilled human resources and delivery systems for mothers' and children's health care ensured through innovative demonstration models and scale up plans.


Output 3: Caregivers know the range and benefit of services available for antenatal, childbirth and young child survival, are empowered to provide stimulating and responsive care for their children, and have access to and use of preventive and curative care.


2.  BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT


The system of early detection and early intervention targeted to tackle the developmental delay and disability, and create opportunities for the child to develop to the maximum extend.


Neonatal screenings are the important part of early detection. It identifies conditions that aren't apparent at birth, but can affect a child's long-term health or survival.



If screening is not established a significant proportion of screen positive infants are lost to follow-up. Thus if not detected at or near birth, Congenital Hypothyroidism clinically manifests itself too late for treatment, that causes severe mental retardation and growth deficiency. It is one of the most common treatable causes of mental retardation. Phenylketonuria is a second classic candidate for neonatal screening, characterized by mild to severe mental disability in untreated patients. Undiagnosed hearing loss in a child affects to language development, social interactions, emotions, cognitive ability, academic performance, with negative impacts on the quality of life. The late identification of hearing loss, combined with the high incidence have been the driving force behind screening programs designed to identify infants with hearing loss as early as possible.



Long-term follow-up of children with confirmed newborn screening conditions ensures a minimum disease impact and prevent severe disabilities.



With UNICEF advocacy efforts Turkmenistan demonstrates strong political will in improving mother and child health and establishing early detection and early intervention services.


In 2014, the Government of Turkmenistan approved a National Strategy of Mother, New born, Child and Adolescent Health (MNCAH) for 2015-2019. In the framework of NMNCAH strategy, with support of UNICEF, the Ministry of Health developed and approved a National Concept and an action plan for 2016-2021 on introduction of developmental pediatrics and early intervention. In this document development of the cadre and establishment of service delivery standards and procedures within the health care system and for trans-sectoral referrals stands as a crucial necessity.


For the past two years the Ministry of Health has established 2 National level entities, ECD Department under the Scientific-clinical MCH Hospital and ECD Center under State Medical University, to provide early Intervention (EI) services and to serve as a National training hubs. UNICEF supported building capacity of a core group of qualified professionals on developmental pediatrics and early intervention. As a result, ECD Department and ECD Center started provision of services for children with developmental difficulties and their families. Use of the Guide on Monitoring of Child Development MCD tool at Primary Health Care level revealed a high demand (from 60 to 39% of involved children required assistance) and an urgent need in establishing EI services nation-wide.


Within implementation of the National Concept on developmental pediatrics and early interventions, the Ministry of Health has issued an Order to initiate neonatal screenings for all children born in MCH facilities of Ashgabat, the capital. Effecting July 2016, a newly built Scientific-clinical MCH Center of Ashgabat started providing 7 neonatal screenings tests (tests for hearing loss, phenylketonuria, congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal cortex hyperplasia, galactosemia and mucoviscidosis). The system of registration and follow up of children with revealed problems is to be established.


This assignment supports setting a framework for establishment of the neonatal screenings system provided with effective follow-up, to address the urgent need in improving the number of timely diagnosed children prevented from developmental and disability risks and establishing and providing comprehensive support to children with developmental delays, difficulties, and/or disabilities and their families during the critical early years.


3.  OBJECTIVES



Objective 1:



Assist national expert group in developing policies on establishment of neonatal screening system to detect newborns with hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria and hearing problems and enable effective follow up system to ensure:



  • Effective operation, supportive supervision and coordination of screening activities;

  • Effective operation of developmental care of children with confirmed problems at every health care level;

  • On-going quality assurance of provided screenings

  • Ongoing training of the involved personnel;

  • Development of a single national register for data collection, reporting and analysis.Assist national expert group to develop a standard algorithms of management of children with hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria and hearing problems.

  • Objective 2.

    4.  SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES TO BE COMPLETED TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES

    Desk review of the relevant country documentation – 2 days (out-of-country)

    Work with expert group to understand situation in newborn health and neonatal screenings – 1 day (in-country)

    Work with expert group to develop policy document determining and regulating establishment of neonatal screening system with effective follow up - 2 days (in country)

    Work with expert group to draft algorithms for neonatal screenings and follow up care of children with confirmed problems at every health care level selected developmental conditions in line with international standards – 2 days (in-country)

    In consultation with expert group, finalize a policy document determining and regulating establishment of neonatal screening system with effective follow up - 3 days (out-of-country)

    In consultation with expert group, finalize developed algorithms - 2 days (out-of-country)

    In consultation with expert group, develop criteria/indicators to be included into the e-register for data collection – 1 day (out-of-country)

    Develop a report with recommendation on further steps of implementation of Newborn Screening program in Turkmenistan. – 1 day (out-of-country)

     

    5.  DELIVERY DATES AND DETAILS AS TO HOW THE WORK MUST BE DELIVERED

     

    Timeline: April - November, 2017.

     

    By November 15, 2017 the following deliverables to be delivered:

     


  • Desk review of the relevant country documentation conducted and report submitted.


    •  


  • Policy document determining and regulating establishment of neonatal screening system with effective follow up. The document should include, but not limited to operation, supportive supervision and coordination of screening activities, developmental care of children with confirmed problems at every health care level, quality assurance of provided screenings, training of the involved personnel and development of a single national register for data collection, reporting and analysis.

     


  • Algorithms for neonatal screenings of selected developmental conditions and follow up care of children with confirmed problems at every health care level developed in line with international standards.

     

    6.  DUTY STATION

     

    Turkmenistan. In country visits will envision working in Ashgabat and primary, secondary and tertiary care settings in ECD demonstration area. 1 in-country visit for 5 days. Out-of-country work for 8 days.

    7.  SUPERVISOR


  • The consultant/institution will be supervised and report to Health and Nutrition Specialist of UNICEF Turkmenistan Country Office with debriefing and consultation with UNICEF Turkmenistan Deputy Representative and Representative.

    8.  Qualifications or specialized knowledge/experience required


  • Advanced degree in child and maternal health, educational background in pediatry, neonatology and child endocrinology is an asset.

  • Minimum 3 years of experience in planning, management, implementation of neonatal screening;

  • Training experience in neonatal screenings


  • Proven successful experience with strategic planning and development of national policy documents in the area of neonatal screening;


  • Knowledge of global policies, development frameworks in establishing and provision of neonatal screenings;


  • Experience in the development of clinical standards in the area of newborn's health, congenital diseases, such as phenylketonuria, adrenogenital syndrome, hypothyroidism and protocols based on evidence based medicine;


  • Excellent analytical thinking, training, report writing and communication skills.

  • Previous experience in implementation of relevant or similar consultancy work in the region of CIS would be an asset;

  • The consultant(s) should be fluent in spoken and written English; knowledge of the Russian language is an asset.

    Required documentation


    • A completed Expression of Interest form (see Appendix A) and responses to the questions, including the professional fee/rate, per person day;

    • Technical proposal and detailed work plan, including training program content;

    • Financial proposal for the consultancy work: consultancy fee;

    • Expert's CV

    • Examples of related work

       

      9.  Basis for fee and Payment Schedule:

       

      Payment of consultancy fee will be provided by UNICEF Office in Turkmenistan and will be determined upon UNICEF consultancy fee scale.

      Payment for consultancy fee will be processed as per satisfactory and timely completion of deliverables, as per submission of the consultancy report.

      Recourse: UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.

       

      10.  UNICEF General Terms and Conditions

       

      UNICEF's general terms and conditions will apply to the contract awarded to the vendor. Please note that, in the evaluation of the technical merits of each proposal, UNICEF will take into consideration any proposed amendments to the UNICEF General Terms and Conditions. Proposed amendments to the UNICEF general terms and conditions may negatively affect the evaluation of the technical merits of the proposal. 

       

      All submissions should be electronic.

      UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete and not provided timely as indicated in the individual work plan of Contractor. This ToR is an integral part of the contract (PO) signed with the consultant.

       

      UNICEF retains the right to patent and intellectual rights, as well as copyright and other similar intellectual property rights for any discoveries, inventions, products or works arising specifically from the implementation of the project in cooperation with UNICEF. The right to reproduce or use materials shall be transferred with a written approval of UNICEF based on the consideration of each separate case. Consultants should always refer to UNICEF Turkmenistan support in developing the materials when publishing the results of the research conducted while in Turkmenistan in academic journals, books and websites.

       


  • Procedures and logistics:


1.  


UNICEF will cover the travel costs related to the consultancy, which include air ticket via the most direct and economy route, Daily Subsidence Allowance (DSA), and terminal expenses not exceeding the existing UN standards. UNICEF does not provide or arrange health insurance coverage for contractors.


 


 


 


Appendix A: Expression of Interest Form


International Consultancy for technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan on establishing a framework for neonatal screenings system.


Please fill-in page 1 of the form in its entirety and submit it to us electronically or via fax.


     


Consultant/


institution name: 


      


Contact Person: 


User Salutation:  Mr.  Ms.  Mrs.  Dr.   


      


Job Title:     


      


Mobile:  (please include country & city) code


      


Fax:   (please include country & city) code)


      


Email address: 


      


 


Address: 


 


      


City: 


      


State:   


      


Postal Code: 


      


Country: 


      


 


Alternate contact 


Please respond to the questions below in a narrative not exceeding 2 pages.


  • Provide information, which will enable us to determine whether you have relevant experience. Information should include:


  • a description of your technical competencies, and the number of years of experience in developmental care, early intervention and neonatal screenings;


  • reports commissioned by UN agencies or comparable organizations that you conducted, or participated in as a member of a team.


  • Provide any additional experience that may be critical to the success of the proposed technical assistance, including but limited to:


  • affiliation to universities or professional bodies in one or more sample countries


  • any other information that you deem relevant that would give you an advantage over other competing for the same consultancy


  • Confirm the following; that


  • you have no on-going litigation with the UN;


  • are not currently removed/invalidated or suspended by the United Nations or UN system organizations.

     

    Competencies of Successful Candidate

    To view our competency framework, please click here

    Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

    UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.



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