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Individual International consultancy to evaluate efficiency of HIV Laboratory testing in Uzbekistan

Tashkent

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: Tashkent
  • Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
    • Biology and Chemistry
    • HIV and AIDS
    • Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Closing Date: Closed

The objective of this consultancy is to provide support to the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan by evaluation efficiency of HIV Laboratories in Uzbekistan and provide recommendations on improving lab efficiency.

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.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

Background

In Uzbekistan HIV testing services (HTC) and antiretroviral treatment (ART) have been scaled up substantially. In 2018, 69% of all people living with HIV in Uzbekistan know their status, 42% of those who know their status have access to ART, 30% of those who on ART are virally suppressed However, it is far from 90-90-90 target, which was set up by Uzbekistan in 2016. Meanwhile, reaching the 90–90-90 targets very much depends on efficient and effective resource use to deliver HIV testing services.

Some specific bottlenecks, especially those that significantly increase the cost of testing for HIV, are the clear deterrents of the progress. Uzbekistan has an extensive network of laboratories that provide services required to fulfill and support the HIV/AIDS programme. Laboratories are structural subdivisions of AIDS Centers at the national (Republican), city (Tashkent city) and regional (14 regional) levels. Moreover, there are 63 inter-district laboratories operating in the country, reporting to regional AIDS centers, equipped with modern equipment and staffed by medical personnel. However, the resources of these laboratories are only partially used (carrying out screening tests for HIV infection).

In last publications WHO has recommended to encourage greater national commitment through implementing effective and efficient HTS as a vital element of the national HIV response, essential to achieve and maintain low HIV incidence. Creation of demand, revision of service delivery approaches by consulting with clinical experts and adopting those that are closing the testing gaps and contributing to the decline in HIV positivity in HTS programmes, are intended to make HTS more focused and finally increase the cost-effectiveness of Laboratory testing. 

In 5 years, Uzbekistan has to shift HIV financing out of the external donor support to domestic-funded. In this regard, more efficient use of existing resources, through regular resource allocation assessments, would make an essential contribution to addressing the funding gap.  

Thus, there is a need to evaluate efficiency of existing HIV Laboratories in Uzbekistan and propose optimized service delivery approaches in accordance to the WHO recommendations. For this purpose, UNICEF Country office in collaboration with Ministry of Health is hiring the International Consultant to evaluate efficiency of existing HIV Laboratories network in Uzbekistan and provide recommendations on improving lab efficiency.

Objectives

The objective of this consultancy is to provide support to the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan by evaluation efficiency of HIV Laboratories in Uzbekistan and provide recommendations on improving lab efficiency.

Timeline & Deliverables

The individual consultancy is expected to be carried out within 20 working days, starting from 15 March 2021 and ending on 30 April 2021. Delivery dates (based on the work plan).

  1. Review of national AIDS report, estimation and projection of total number of HIV+ within 10 years, total number of pregnant women and HIV infected children, SOPs and guidelines for HIV testing, all relevant documents and information, decision analysis to model strategies for HIV laboratory system and WHO relevant documents -  Desk review report  
  2. Analysis of HIV lab data from republican, regional and district level to understand lab workload and projection of lab load within 10 years -  Secondary data analysis results
  3. Provide recommendations on improving lab efficiency - Draft recommendations
  4. Draft final report for delivering high-impact HIV testing services. Presentation of the Final report to national partners and discussion - Draft final report
  5. Finalization of the report - Final report

Methodology/Activities

  1. Detailed review of all relevant documents and information. Review of national AIDS report, estimation and projection of total number of HIV+ within 10 years, pregnant women data and projection and birth rate, all relevant documents and information, decision analysis to model strategies for HIV laboratory system and WHO relevant documents. Analysis of current republican, regional and district levels lab load and projection of lab load within 10 years. Provide recommendations on improving lab efficiency.  
  2. Discussion of draft Final report with national partners prior to finalization.
  3. Finalization of a Final report.

Management

The Consultant will work under the direct supervision of Chief of Child Health and Wellbeing.

Resource requirements and payments

The basis for calculation of the consultancy fee is based on the complexity of work, the level of expertise and the Administrative Instruction (ST/AI/2013/4) on Consultants and individual contractors.

Note: The final decision on selection of the Consultant will be made based on the “best value for money” principle. The payment schedule will be as indicated in the table on timelines and deliverables upon satisfactory completion of all deliverables and submission of the financial statement. Payments might be partially or fully withheld in case of unsatisfactory performance of duties or failure to provide the deliverables by the agreed deadlines.

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

  1. University degree in Medicine/Public Health/Economics
  2. Specialized in Public Health/Health Economics
  3. At least 5-years’ experience in conducting and/or managing research/survey/study/analysis of health/social statistics
  4. At least two similar researches/ studies on health system efficiency conducted
  5. Relevant 5-year experience in the WHO European Region, particularly in Uzbekistan or other countries is an asset.
  6. Good command of written English
  7. Knowledge of Russian will be an asset

Procedures and Working Conditions

Consultant is expected to work on-line. The applicants shall be required to submit a statement of good health prior to commencement of work and to take full responsibility for the accuracy of that statement. Consultants are not eligible to participate in the life or health insurance schemes available to United Nations staff members.

Reservations

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if deliverable(s) incomplete, not finalized or for failure to meet deadlines. UNICEF will reserve copyright of all developed materials and own primary data collected through this assignment. The materials cannot be published or disseminated without prior written permission of UNICEF. UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. The contractor must respect the confidentiality of the information handled during the assignment. Documents and information provided must be used only for the tasks related to these terms of reference.

UNICEF undertakes no liability for taxes, duty or other contribution payable by the consultant on payments made under this contract.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

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.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

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.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

This vacancy is now closed.
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