Consultancy - Technical Assistance to 9 districts and implementing partner for evidence-based planning, monitoring with a focus on iCCM/MNCH/Nutrition (11 Months) Ugandan Nationals only

UNICEF is looking for a consultant to provide technical support to sustain the implementation of the iCCM programme to cover nine districts- eight Northern and one South western Uganda- namely Gulu, Amuru, Agago, Pader, Lamwo, Kitgum, Nwoya, Omoro, and Ntungamo

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

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Uganda is one of the over 190 countries and territories around the world where we work to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease, and discrimination place in a child’s path. Together with the Government of Uganda and partners we work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the objectives of the Uganda National Development Plan, and the planned outcomes of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

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Under the supervision of the Health Specialist, the consultant will provide technical support to sustain the implementation of the iCCM programme to cover nine districts- eight Northern and one South western Uganda-  namely Gulu, Amuru, Agago, Pader, Lamwo, Kitgum, Nwoya, Omoro, and Ntungamo

Background

Though Uganda has made progress in reducing child mortality, 90,000 children still die every year in the country, mainly due to preventable and treatable conditions. The main killers of children below five years of age are malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea and infections such as HIV that account for more than 40 per cent of under-five deaths. Undernutrition also remains an important contributor to poor outcomes in maternal, newborn and child health. While the prevalence of stunting has decreased from 33 per cent to 29 per cent between 2011 and 2016 (UDHS), there are an estimated 1,850,000 stunted children in the country. During the same period, underweight and wasting also declined from 14 per cent to 11 per cent and from 5 per cent to 4 per cent, respectively.

The Uganda Malaria Reduction Strategic Plan (UMRSP), 2014/15-2019/20, the midterm review noted with concern that the current scope and scale of malaria interventions have less effect on malaria transmission and this is likely to affect their ability to achieve the goals of the strategic plan. As a recommendation, mass action is being proposed as a strategy to combat malaria at community and household level by increasing community engagement and ownership for the prevention and control of malaria. This has further pointed to the need for the NMCP to ensure that malaria interventions are embedded in, and supported through, a strong enabling environment and that all planning and implementation efforts are truly decentralized including up to the community

The iCCM intervention has been effective in improving access to the services, bringing lifesaving treatment nearer the grass root and ensuring children under five suffering from malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia receive treatment within 24 hours of onset of the illness in line with sustainable development goal 3.

Following the launch of the iCCM strategy in 2010, the iCCM programme is being implemented in 62 districts in Uganda with support from key partners namely UNICEF, WHO, CIDA, Global Fund, Malaria Consortium and IRC. The UNICEF support towards iCCM in 50 districts is detailed below:

• DFID- UNICEF partnership supports 23 districts for all components of iCCM namely training, supervision & monitoring and iCCM commodities (Gulu, Agago, Pader, Lamwo, Kitgum, Nwoya, Omoro, Kole, Apac, Oyam, Amuru, Otuke, Alebtong, Kaberamaido, Dokolo, Amolatar, Abim, Kotido, Moroto, Kaabong, Napak, Amudat and Nakapiripirit).
• UNICEF procures and supplies non-malaria iCCM commodities to 26 Global Fund-supported districts. These include Luwero, Pallisa, Amuria, Soroti and Serere,Sheema, Rubirizi, Bushenyi, Kamwenge and Kasese, Arua, Koboko, Yumbe, Maracha and Nebbi , Wakiso, Masaka, Kalungu, Lwengo, Bukomansimbi, Mpigi, Butambala, Gomba, Kiruhura, Rakai, Lyantonde.

• Through regular resources, UNICEF supports iCCM implementation in Ntungamo district.

  With funding from DFID, UNICEF in partnership with WHO and Malaria Consortium will support the implementation of a 5-year programme to strengthen Uganda’s response to Malaria. The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to the reduction in morbidity and mortality due to malaria and other common childhood illnesses in Karamoja and Mid-Northern regions of Uganda.

   

  Since the ICCM programme requires continued and intensive supportive supervision and on-site mentorship, UNICEF Uganda has planned three consultancies.

   

• one consultancy for 7 districts in Karamoja region
• one consultancy to cover nine districts 8 Northern and one South western Uganda districts, namely Gulu, Amuru, Agago, Pader, Lamwo, Kitgum, Nwoya, Omoro, and Ntungamo

• and one consultancy to support eight districts in Northern and Eastern Uganda namely Kole, Apac, Oyam, Otuke, Alebtong, Dokolo, Amolatar and Kaberamaido.

   Key Tasks: 

• Support District Health Teams/systems for evidence based RMNCAH planning and monitoring using national planning guidelines including RMNCAH score cards.
• Ensure that quarterly VHT review meetings are conducted, and VHT reports are compiled, analyzed and shared with the DHOs, MoH and other stakeholders through DHIS2, on a quarterly basis.
• Coordinate, plan, organize and participate in district specific quarterly health program performance review meetings.
• Support review of each of the districts, health facilities and VHT supply management capacity; identify bottlenecks and possible solutions to ensure proper supply chain management of the iCCM commodities provided through UNICEF and NMS using designed tools. National Medical Stores is expected to take full responsibility of warehousing and distribution to the districts up to the last mile (health facilities).
• Coordinate with the respective DHOs/DHT, UNICEF District Focal Officers (DFO’s) as well as UNICEF Technical Officers for adequate and timely delivery of ICCM commodities provided by UNICEF and NMS.
• Establish strong quality assurance teams at district, health facility and community level for monitoring, supervision and evaluation of the iCCM program to ensure quality of the services being delivered and ensure integration of the program into the general health system.
• Coordinate and facilitate refresher training of health workers with a focus on iCCM supply chain management in collaboration with the Medicines Management Supervisors in iCCM implementing districts especially those under DFID-UNICEF support.
• Plan, organise and conduct refresher trainings for all the VHTs and VHT Peer Supervisors/ iCCM VHTs in UNICEF supported districts and address bottlenecks and challenges identified in VHT iCCM implementation.  
• Support roll out of IMNCI-ICATT trainings for health workers in the 9 supported districts.
• Conduct field monitoring with emphasis and focus on end-user monitoring to ensure quality assurance and continued functionality of ICCM through holding focus group discussions, individual and key informant interviews.
• Support iCCM stakeholders’ meetings to ensure quality quarterly progress update on iCCM implementation in different regions with reference to success stories, lessons learnt, challenges and constraints and how to overcome the obstacles. 
• Support selected district health teams to supervise and mentor HSD and health facility teams on malaria management and EPR.
• Support UNICEF in identifying funding gaps for proposal development for iCCM programming and leveraging of resources.
• Support Malaria Consortium to implement iCCM activities, monitor funds utilization and ensure timely reporting.
• Support the Malaria Consortium and UNICEF iCCM teams in data analysis and regular reporting and contribute to donor reports.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Qualifications –  Bachelor’s degree in health sciences, public health or a related subject Two years of progressively responsible experience in ICCM or community based health programming.
• Should command respect from district officials
• Should have a good understanding of the power related dynamics at district and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               community levels
• Strong analytical and communication (oral and written) skills
• Should have good logic and analytical skills
• Should have good writing skills
• Excellent communication and documentation skills
• Strong analytical and report writing skills

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Our core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

 For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The technical competencies required for this post are….

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.