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Consultancy: ROSTER for the Consultancy on Technical Assistance for Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP) Implementation in Countries - Requisition# 505575

Multiple locations

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: Multiple locations
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
  • Closing Date: Closed

 

Provide technical assistance to support countries in the UNICEF regions to address scale-up of ENAP priority interventions in the different areas.

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.

Background & Rationale

Globally, the neonatal mortality rate fell from 36 (35, 38) deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 19  in 2015, and the number of neonatal deaths declined from 5.1 million to 2.7 million. However, the decline in neonatal mortality from 1990 to 2015 has been slower than that of post-neonatal under-five mortality: 47 percent compared with 58 percent globally. In Sub Saharan Africa the newborn mortality rate (NMR) is 29 deaths per 1000 live births. In addition it is estimated that 2.6 million babies are stillborn (die in the last three months of pregnancy or during childbirth) and some 289 000 women die each year from complications of pregnancy and childbirth.Asphyxia (13%), Preterm (11%), Sepsis (10%), and Congenital (3%) Other (3%). that of maternal mortality (2.6%) and under-5-year old mortality (2.9%)

The global Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP), launched in 2014, includes clear targets and strategies for reducing neonatal deaths and stillbirths and supports the United Nations Secretary-General’s Every Woman Every Child initiative (EWEC). There is a growing body of evidence emerging in countries demonstrates that strategic efforts to improve newborn health lead to successful outcomes, even amid challenging circumstances and starting points.

Based on evidence of what works, and developed within the framework for Every Woman Every Child, the plan enhances and supports coordinated, comprehensive planning and implementation of newborn-specific actions within the context of national reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) strategies and action plans, and in collaboration with stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, professional associations and others. The goal is to achieve equitable and high-quality coverage of care for all women and newborns through links with other global and national plans, measurement and accountability.

Quality of care for maternal and newborn care is a key focus area in all ENAP countries. The quality of health care provided and experienced by patients is a critical determinant of health and well-being women, children, and adolescents. In many settings around the world, however, quality of care ranks low amongst national priorities for MNCAH, particularly where health systems are poorly managed or under-resourced. Improving the quality of care for women and children, particularly mothers and newborns, is a critical step towards revitalizing health systems and achieving the health-related SDGs. The World Health Organization (2006) has identified six key dimensions of quality of care within health services: effective, efficient, accessible, acceptable/patient-centred, equitable, and safe. Unfortunately, poor quality of care, in terms of both provision of and experiencing services, remains a key barrier to improved health outcomes. As a result, improving quality of care for every woman and every child with a particular focus on mothers and newborns has been designated as a key priority within the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Responding to this call, WHO and UNICEF have elaborated a global vision where ‘every pregnant woman and newborn receives quality care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period’. This vision is underpinned by the core values of quality, equity and dignity.

Purpose

Provide technical assistance to support countries in the UNICEF regions to address scale-up of ENAP priority interventions in the following specific areas:

a)  Development of national plans for newborn care; will include Identifying and prioritising problems for immediate and longer term action at national and/or subnational level

b)  Costing of priority activities for maternal and newborn care programmes and preparation of investment cases

c)  Development of advocacy strategies on MNAH

d)  Capacity development on quality improvement

e)  Implementation research

f)   Documentation and development of case studies

g)  Communication for Development

Expected results: (measurable results)

It should be noted that assignments, with the expected level of effort, will entail specific tasks per consultancy and is not predefined.   As such, the duration, payment schedule and deliverables will generally depend on each specific task. The following will variously apply in the implementation of any of the following assignment:

  1. Present a concept note/inception report on the approach to achieve the objectives.  This should include a robust methodology for gathering the information and data required (including any potential travel, where applicable) for the delivery of assignment/outputs
  2. Review  all relevant UNICEF programme documents prior to commencement of the assignment
  3. In close coordination HQ, regional and country office technical specialist, plan and facilitate national level expert workshops to develop national plans for newborn care; will include Identifying and prioritising problems for immediate and longer term action at national and/or subnational level
  4. In close coordination HQ, regional and country office technical specialist, plan and facilitate national level expert workshops to cost priority activities for maternal and newborn care programmes and preparation of investment cases
  5. In close coordination HQ, regional and country office technical specialist, develop advocacy strategies on MNAH
  6. Conduct Quality of Care Assessments in target health facilities
  7. Provide capacity development on quality improvement
  8. Provide technical assistance in quality implementation of Maternal and Perinatal Death Reviews and Response(MPDSR)
  9. Provide technical assistance for strengthening collection, use and interpretation of data (HMIS, DHIS II, quality of care).
  10. Provide clinical mentoring on key interventions for mothers and newborns
  11. In close coordination HQ, regional and country office technical specialist, lead assessment and capacity building on adolescent health services
  12. In close coordination HQ, regional and country office technical specialist, lead evaluation, documentation and development of case studies, review secondary data e.g. household surveys and MICs data ; use of List analysis and EQUIST;
  13. Produce draft and final reports, power point presentations, case studies, matrices, etc. as per the assignment

Duty Station

TBD, depending on the hiring office.

Timeframe

Between 01 August 2017 until 31 December 2018. The specific duration will depend on the nature of assignment. 

DELIVERABLES

The deliverables under each consultancy will generally be specific to each, depending on the output area, countries, time frame and thematic areas as follows:

  • Development of national plans for newborn care; will include Identifying and prioritising problems for immediate and longer term action at national and/or subnational level
  • Costing of priority activities for maternal and newborn care programmes and preparation of investment cases
  • Development of advocacy strategies on MNAH
  • Capacity development on quality improvement
  • Evaluation, documentation and development of case studies

Key competences, technical background, and experience required Deadline

All qualified individuals are eligible to apply and need to highlight the respective areas of experience, expertise and language skills; and provide CV with at least two examples of previous work, indicative rates of professional fee per day. Please highlight your specific expertise by selecting one or more of the following areas:

a)  Development of national plans for newborn care; will include Identifying and prioritising problems for immediate and longer term action at national and/or subnational level

b)  Costing of priority activities for maternal and newborn care programmes and preparation of investment cases

c)  Development of advocacy strategies on Maternal Newborn and Adolescent Health

d)  Capacity development on quality improvement on maternal, newborn and adolescent health

e)  Implementation research in areas of maternal, newborn and adolescent health

f)   Documentation and development of case studies

g)  Communication for Development for maternal, newborn and adolescent health

Typically, the individual submitting expressions of interest should have the following profile and skill sets: 

  • University degree or equivalent in medicine or other relevant discipline, with master’s degree in public health;
  • Five to eight years of work experience in National Child Health and maternal newborn health programme and monitoring and evaluation of RMNCAH programmes is an asset;
  • Work experience in development of  ENAP policies, strategies and  training guidelines;
  • Excellent communication skills, including written and oral presentations;
  • Ability to articulate the application of and use planning and policy analysis tools and methodologies
  • High level proficiency in the use of relevant computer software including the MS Office Suite, Statistical Package for Social Sciences, and computer based qualitative analysis software, etc.
  • Statistical skills / ease in the use and interpretation of health and social sector data, including familiarity with and the use of district health information systems (DHIS2), costing, and use of One health tool,  etc. 
  • Good team player with ability to work independently and under considerably tight deadlines; Creative thinking, drive for results and strong commitments;
  • Good inter-personal relationship even in diverse work environment;
  • Work experience in Africa and Asia is an added advantage
  • Language:  Fluency in at least one UN language (English or French or Arabic) is required.

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.

Applicants must reflect their interest, area of expertise and language skills in their cover letter as reflected under the PURPOSE field of this the advertisement.  Applications that do not contain this information will not be further reviewed.

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.

This vacancy is now closed.
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