Community Health Monitoring and evaluation Consultant

Special Service Agreement (SSA) for National Community Health Management Information System (CHMIS) establishment support (FOR SOUTH SUDANESE NATIONALS ONLY)

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BACKGROUND

South Sudan Ministry of Health developed its M&E framework in 2008 and subsequently launched a national health management information system (HMIS) and the database developed in the District Health Information System (DHIS) for collection of health information from facility level. Currently, this is fairly developed and flow of facility data up to the national level is streamlined, though timeliness and quality of reports are still below par.  However, there hasn’t been a centralized community health service reporting system. Partners have been using individual community reporting tools and these do not necessary reach the MOH.

In March 2017, South Sudan launched a community health strategy called the Boma Health Initiative (BHI). The goal of this strategy is to develop strengthened health system that efficiently delivers components of the Basic Package of Health and Nutrition Services (BPHNS) at community level to contribute to the achievement of universal coverage. Part of this is to strengthen community health information management to ensure quality community health information is consistently available for situational and performance monitoring. The operationalization of this strategy is in progress but rather slow. The CHMIS data collection and reporting tools have been developed. What is remaining is integrating the community indicators into the HMIS and DHIS platform and setting up a coherent system for community data collection.

International support to provide guidance and steer the initial roll-out will be necessary: assess existing M&E, engage with stakeholders, plan and establish a coherent CHMIS (integrated with the HMIS), update tools/work flow processes, and capacity development.

Overall purpose is to provide guidance and steer initial phase of CHMIS implementation: assess existing M&E, engage with stakeholders, plan and establish a coherent CHMIS (integrated with the HMIS and DHIS), update tools/work flow processes, and conduct a Training of Trainers (ToT) capacity development. Key specific results will include:

1. Strengthened capacity of Ministry of Health, M&E Department to coordinate, plan, and manage its community health information strategies and interventions
2. Oversight of the scale-up and implementation of health information strategies and interventions
3. improved management of community health information for both emergency and development contexts in South Sudan

1. Ministry of Health, M&E Department is supported with the coordination, review, planning, development and management of its community health information strategies and interventions

   1. Provide operational guidance and inputs to review and streamline existing draft data collection and reporting mechanisms and to formulate strategies to improve community health information management in the context of South Sudan.
   2. Liaise with other development and civil society agencies to enhance sub-national coordination in the execution of CHMIS strengthening.
   3. Manage data on CHMIS indicators concerning RMNCH, nutrition and quality of care indicators requiring regular reporting (e.g. quarterly) and establish a system to provide routine oversight
   4. Review and adapt the tools and SOPs for the community health information management system and test for timely data collection, reporting, analysis, and utilization.
   5. Supports the integration of community health indicators in the current DHIS 1.4, and support the on-going transition process to DHIS 2

1. Oversight of the scale-up and implementation of health information strategies and interventions

   1. Identify barriers and implement corrective actions for timely information collection, collation, analysis, reporting and utilization and work with County medical officers, State MOH officials and partners to develop appropriate supportive strategies, including for advocacy
   2. Provide technical support on the review and development of community health information strategies and interventions appropriate to different state contexts
   3. Capacity building of relevant health staff for decentralized community health information management and use, including the roll-out of DHIS 1.4 with integrated community information aspect and adoption of DHIS2 state-wide
   4. Maintain up to date knowledge and information and disseminate widely in the state and national levels
   5. Review and provide quality assurance related to consistency, technical quality and appropriateness of communication materials and reports that are developed, and disseminated to various stakeholders

1. Support to improve health information management for both emergency and development contexts in South Sudan

   1. Assess National level health information coordination mechanism with government and development partners and make recommendations
   2. Assist in collection and analysis of integrated data including health, nutrition and HIV, which is sex and age disaggregated where possible, to better inform tailored responses.
   3. Participate in national and sub-national information sharing/coordination as appropriate to ensure inter-sectoral inputs are consolidated and well reflected in activities and interventions
   4. Assist in strengthening partnerships with other UN and development agencies engaged in CHMIS strengthening in the Country.
   5. Provide inputs to UNICEF country office team to reinforce their line ministry departments and multi-sectoral emergency fora for planning and adaptation of policy guidelines related to CHMIS.

1. Capacity development support on CHMIS at National, State and county levels

   1. Assist in review of national capacity to monitor the health situation and report on it
   2. Assist in capacity development initiatives for State and County health department and partners’ staff and other UNICEF colleagues in integrated community health information management
   3. Organize as appropriate learning and knowledge exchange sessions on CHMIS technical issues to national and sub-national level staff
   4. Conduct field monitoring and provide technical support to government counterparts on establishing, strengthening and maintaining CHMIS.

1. Monitoring, evaluation and knowledge management for health information systems at sub-national level

   1. Develop a dashboard to enable monitoring on BHI programme (using data from the CHMIS) at national level
   2. Document, analyse and review data to ensure compliance and achievement of the national health department’s BHI/HMIS objectives
   3. In coordination with the M&E department, build capacities for data collection, reporting, collation, analysis, feedback and use of information.
   4. Recommend corrective actions and monitor improvement, when necessary, to achieve BHI/HMIS objectives
   5. Contribute to and ensure high quality of (automated) monitoring reports in accordance with the established guidelines, methods and procedures
   6. Support dissemination and ensure exchange and sharing of experiences, lessons learned, and promising practices using innovative methods.

The total budget is estimated at $ 31,000 (including travel, DSA).

The last payment will be upon submission of the final report with satisfactory evaluation.

Expected Deliverables and payment: (Hard and e-copy)

# 9.1% will be paid after approval of the inception report

# 9.1 % will be paid after submission of reports on review of the tool, integration into National HMIS, mentoring report

# 9.1% will be paid after submission of final training report  

# 63.6% upon submission of seven monthly reports 

9.1% will be paid upon satisfactory completion of all associated tasks and submission of a final report with all deliverables annexed

Requirements

Education: 

• A University Degree in epidemiology, public health, community health, global/international health, health management, health research, health policy and/or management, or other health related sciences is required.

Work Experience:

• At least 3 years of relevant work experience at national/sub-national level in community health/public health analysis, planning, programming, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health and nutrition programmes.
• Relevant experience in community health information management, monitoring and evaluation, health surveillance, health assessments/surveys at state and country level
• Background/familiarity with emergency response, preparedness and disaster risk reduction.
• Familiarity and expertise with computer software applications, including word processing, spreadsheet and corporate software packages
• Advanced Degree and work experience with a Civil Society and UN system agency/organization is an asset.

 Language Proficiency:

• Fluency in English (verbal and written) and Juba Arabic
• Knowledge of the local languages in South Sudan an asset.

The selected applicant would be expected to take up the assignment immediately.

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:

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