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International Consultancy - Environmental Sustainability, Innovations and Logistics Support for Health Systems Immunization Strengthening

Lilongwe

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

This consultancy assignment is for 167 working days within 11.5 months. The specific purpose of this work is to support UNICEF Malawi to initiate specific recommended and proposed activities in community and facility health systems, immunization, supply chain and data management that will lead to improved sustainability and efficiency, and better health outcomes in the community. Innovation, adoption of learning from experiences of other programs and cross cutting collaboration will be at the core of this support.

Position Title: Environmental Sustainability, Innovations and Logistics Support for Health Systems Immunization Strengthening Consultant
Level: International
Location: Lilongwe, Malawi
Duration: 167 working days within 11.5 months (May 2017 – April 2018) contract period
Reporting to Chief of Health Section, UNICEF, Malawi 

BACKGROUND

The majority of people in Malawi live in rural areas, and an integrated community health approach is used for service delivery. Challenges in service delivery have led to inequitable access to health and nutrition services, especially in hard to reach areas. These include:
• Lack of electricity at local health facilities in Malawi
• Community health structures that are not sustainable or resilient
• Lack of accommodation for HSAs within the community means that hard to reach communities in Malawi have no access to health services within the requisite 5km radius.

Addressing these issues requires a harmonized approach at both the community and facility levels to ensure that environmentally sustainable, resilient health clinics and facilities with solar electricity supply are installed in the proximity of hard to reach communities, and that safe syringe and waste disposal systems for immunization are available and compliant with national environmental norms in Malawi.

PURPOSE

This Terms of Reference (TOR) was generated from the revised Programme Support Rationale (PSR) and Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Platform (CCEOP) proposal submitted to GAVI in February 2017 for health system and immunization strengthening (HSIS) support through 2021 and from the recommendations, next steps and preparatory studies identified in the Environmental Sustainability Management (ESM) Case Study in EPI/MNCH (Extended Programme on Immunization/Maternal, Newborn and Child Health) in Malawi.
The specific purpose of this work is to support UNICEF Malawi to initiate specific recommended and proposed activities in community and facility health systems, immunization, supply chain and data management that will lead to improved sustainability and efficiency, and better health outcomes in the community. Innovation, adoption of learning from experiences of other programs and cross cutting collaboration will be at the core of this support.

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA

Nation-wide. The consultant whilst in Malawi will be based in the capital Lilongwe and will be required to travel to the regions and districts.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS

SCOPE OF ACTIVITY:

Preparatory Measures
• Present village clinic, health centre and health care waste ESM concepts to a network of potential partners, including CHAM, MoH Planning department, EPI management, UNICEF management and Sections (Health, WASH, Education) and Health Sector Joint Fund, and to inform the UNICEF expression of interest to join the Climate Change donor coordination committee and eventually the Malawi Renewable Energy Taskforce (MRET)
• Share the 3 proposed activities of the ESM action plan with the Climate Change donor coordination committee and identify programmatic synergies where feasible.
• Draft the Terms of Reference for the proposed UNICEF Malawi sustainable energy/climate change focal point

Cold Chain Equipment (CCE) Maintenance Arrangement:
• Analyse CCE maintenance options, costs and sustainability, and develop a replacement plan in conjunction with GAVI HSIS proposal and develop a CCE replacement, preventive and corrective maintenance strategy and implementation arrangement
• Develop plan for disposal of obsolete and irreparable cold chain equipment
• Support MOH for capacity development on efficient management of cold chain system

Village clinics:
• Develop criteria for the village clinic selection process including Village Development Committee (VDC) engagement and coordinate a rural energy needs assessment of pre-selected communities.
• Propose solar power pack arrangements for prefabricated and other village clinic configurations, communities and partner engagement plans, including the implementation program and budget

Electrification of Health Facilities
• Mapping and conducting a techno-economic assessment of the viability of incorporating solar modules already installed on health centres in the electrification power packs and value addition of solar-hybrid installations at locations already connected to the electrical grid
• Draft technical specifications for the health centre electrification packs and a community engagement plan including an electrification program implementation plan.

Waste Management
• Identify central or regional waste disposal facilities meeting national or international environmental norms for waste handling and processing and review business terms for handling medical waste.
• Solicit expressions of interest and review proposals to provide management oversight of a HCWM pilot program that will evaluate safety, environmental benefits and economic returns of HCWM.

Supply Chain Data Management
• Review present vaccine stock and quality management inclusive of data management, maintenance management, meeting the HSIS and CCEOP indicator targets and undertaking improvements in temperature monitoring and data for management as cited and budgeted in the EVM comprehensive improvement plan
• Propose arrangements for improvement that will provide a data management tool for day-to-day supply chain (vaccine stocks and quality) and maintenance and a data-reporting tool for interface with the national HMIS/DHIS2.

DELIVERABLES

1. Preparatory Measures Complete

a. Concepts of the Environmental Sustainability Management Case Study for Malawi
b. An ESM action plan based on the above concepts is presented to the climate change donor coordinating committee.
c. Terms of reference for a UNICEF Malawi sustainable energy/climate change focal point are drafted

Duration (Esitimated # of days): 15 days
Tentative Deadline: 60 days after contract signature
Payment Schedule/ Deliverable: 1st tranche payment: 10% in June 2017. Deliverable: Concept note on Environmental Sustainability Management (ESM) presented, Action Plan on ESM submitted and TOR for ESM drafted.

2. CCE Maintenance Plan Drafted

a. CCE maintenance options are analyzed according to an evaluation framework agreed by UNICEF and Ministry of Health and a strategy and costed implementation plan developed
b. Develop plan for disposal of obsolete and irreparable cold chain equipment
c. Support MOH for capacity development on efficient management of cold chain system
d. SOPs and contract templates drafted.

Duration (Esitimated # of days): 20 days
Tentative Deadline: 90 days after contract signature
Payment Schedule/ Deliverable: 2nd tranche payment: 20% in July 2017. Deliverable: Draft CCE maintenance plan and SOP submitted.

3. Village Clinics (Solar Powered)

a. Village Clinic site selection and energy needs assessed, technical specification and phased implementation plan drafted for pilot project (7 locations) and for village clinics supported through GAVI HSIS.

Duration (Esitimated # of days): 35 days
Tentative Deadline: 180 days after contract signature
Payment Schedule/ Deliverable: 3rd tranche payment: 20% in September 2017. Deliverables: Needs assessment report and draft implementation plan of pilot village clinic with solar power submitted.

4. Health Facility Electrification

a. Hard to reach, under performing health facilities not included in the national electrification expansion plan are mapped.
b. Technical specifications of solar electrification pack(s) are defined.
c. A solar electrification implementation and monitoring plan is drafted.

Duration (Esitimated # of days): 35 days
Tentative Deadline: 220 days after contract signature
Payment Schedule/ Deliverable: 4th tranche payment: 20% in October 2017.Deliverables: Health Facility Solar Electrification implementation and M&E plan submitted.

5. Waste Management (HCWM)

a. National or Regional waste handling, processing and disposal facility identified and business terms reviewed
b. Expressions of interest and proposals are reviewed for a HCWM pilot program.

Duration (Esitimated # of days): 20 days
Tentative Deadline: 270 days after contract signature
Payment Schedule/ Deliverable: 5th tranche payment: 10% in February 2018. Deliverables: Report on situation analysis and implementation plan for health facility waste management submitted.

6. Supply Chain Data Management

a. Vaccine stocks, quality, data management, maintenance is reviewed and electronic data systems recommended which build upon the BMGF support to HIV data systems and data communication systems recommended in the EVM/cIP
b. A plan for improvement and interface with DHIS2/HMIS is drafted. Inclusive of a costed software development protocol that outlines the hardware/software requirements to achieve the DISC indicators.

Duration (Esitimated # of days): 30 days
Tentative Deadline: 320 days after contract signature
Payment Schedule/ Deliverable: 6th tranche payment: 10% in January 2018. Deliverables: Implementation plan and guidelines for electronic data system for supply chain management submitted.

7. Reports are drafted and reviewed

A final report providing a situation analysis, barriers and next steps of each on the 6 topics in the TOR is submitted and reviewed.

Duration (Esitimated # of days): 12 days
Tentative Deadline: 350 days after contract signature
Payment Schedule/ Deliverable: 7th tranche payment: 10% in April 2018. Deliverables: Final consultancy report.

Administrative Issues

The assignment will be carried out remotely, but in-country missions are required to prepare and/or present each of the deliverables listed in Sl. No. 1-6. In country time required is estimated at 65% (110 days) to 75% (125 days) of the total contract days. 35% of days in country (38-45 days) is estimated to require field travel. Total 167 working days over the period of 11.5 months.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

Competencies

• Highly-effective presenter including ability to adapt the message and visual aids for multiple audiences to deliver concise, impactful presentations
• Highly-effective facilitator with proven ability to engage and train a group of individuals

Technical skills and knowledge

• Advanced University degree in in public health, immunization, renewable energy or in relevant field
• Expertise in new and emerging health technologies and sustainable energy
• Expertise and experience in gap analysis, energy needs assessments, gender, good understanding of the health sector in diverse country settings
• Familiarity with WHO immunization and environmental policies

Work experience

• At least 15 years of experience in public health including 8 years in immunization, with experience in resource-constrained environments.
• Experience working in Africa and Asia preferable
• Prior working experience with the UN/UNICEF or development organizations required
• Experience in leading the discussions with national ministries of health on complex technical matters required.

Languages -Written and spoken fluency in English

Any conditions such as the ones highlighted below:

Conditions (Important)

• Transport will be provided to the consultant during Field travel within country. DSA will be covered in accordance with UNICEF’s rules and tariffs, by the consultant and reimbursed against actuals.
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant
• No travel should take place without an email travel authorization from section prior to the commencement of the journey from the duty station.
• As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.
• Additional details of UNICEF rules, regulations and conditions will be attached to the contract.

This vacancy is now closed.
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