Consultant to support the Ministry of Health and Social Services ,Health Financing Strategies in the context of UHC

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Term of Reference for Consultant to support the Ministry of Health and Social Services ,Health Financing Strategies in the context of UHC.

BACKGROUND

The attainment of universal health coverage (UHC) is a key priority for the Government of the Republic of Namibia. To address UHC in Namibia, the Ministry has defined a set of health service packages for all the three levels of health care: Primary Care (Clinics, Health Centres and Community Based Health Services); Secondary level (District Health Services) and Tertiary level (National, Regional Hospitals and Specialized Services), to increase the access to services for all persons. Efforts are being made to enhance quality through an appropriate governance structure that is governed and informed based on standards of performance, best practices, quality management system and robust regulatory infrastructure.

Protecting people against the impoverishing effect of health payments is a cornerstone of UHC and will help prevent poverty in Namibia. The Ministry of Health and Social Services, in the UHC Policy Framework outlines the need for sustainable strategies for health financing and resource management that will make services affordable for everyone and provide effective financial protection. These strategies will include increasing the level of health financing by Government and other stakeholders, implementing cost-efficiencies and improved resource management, introducing pre-payments for the poor and those working in the informal sector and improving coordination of health development assistance.

In line with the UHC Policy Framework, the WHO Global Programme of Work (GPW) 13 and the WHO / Namibia Country Cooperation Strategy, development of sustainable strategies for health financing and resource management support is critical to advance UHC in Namibia. In collaboration with the P4H global network, this will be achieved through policy support, the production of related knowledge products to feed into national policy and implementation processes, support to coordinating, collaborating with and guiding partner agencies, the production and analysis of health expenditure, and capacity building in health financing for Universal Health Coverage.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The incumbent, under the overall guidance and supervision of the WHO representative and under the leadership of the Health systems advisor in the WHO country office, will carry out the following tasks:

• Provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and Social Service in facilitating the national policy dialogue on UHC.
• Provide technical assistance to the Government and especially to the MOHSS in updating the comprehensive mapping of the health financing and social health protection policies and strategies.
• Initiate discussions on potential options of sustainable strategies for health financing and resource management support critical to advance UHC in Namibia
• Support the MOH and development partners during the process of transitioning to more integrated and domestic financing, by identifying ways to improve sector-wide working practices.
• Support the coordination of actors at the country level to ensure harmonized support for health financing that is aligned to country priorities;
• Provide technical support to the MOH in analysing health financing information and the use of the information for policy dialogue and formulation;
• Support the monitoring of health sector performance including general health financing indicators, and Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage indicators;
• Participate actively in the P4H network as a Coordination Team member and support the P4H network knowledge generation, and M&E
• Handle communication within the P4H network and populate as necessary the P4H Web platform on Namibia country page.
• Perform other duties in health financing and health systems strengthening as may be assigned by the supervisor.

These tasks will be carried out in the framework of the P4H network, value proposition and ToR, meaning the incumbent will bring his/her support to collaboration of stakeholders. This will be done through the following working arrangements:

• The support for coordination in health financing/social health protection in existing dialogue bodies
• The support for coordination in health financing/social health protection between the different intra (health) and inter-ministerial (health, finance, etc.) departments
• The support for coordination in health financing and social health protection between external partners in their dialogue with each other and with the national side
• The support for the alignment of policies and strategies addressing the financing of health and social protection in health, among themselves and with the implementation processes
• Support for the continuity of policies, their coherence, their implementation.

For a detailed and comprehensive understanding of his/her functions, the CFP will refer to the P4H network CFP ToR, that provides their extensive description; these functions are the following:

• To connect with and involve all relevant national and international partners in the area of health financing for UHC
• To gather and circulate information amongst relevant stakeholders in the working areas.
• To promote innovation for better coordination, collaboration and learning in the area of health financing and social health protection, and amongst other partners.
• To participate actively in the P4H network as a Coordination Team member

REQUIREMENTS

EXPERIENCE

Essential: At least 7 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of health economics, health financing, social health protection, social health insurance, including five years or more of experience at the international level preferably in developing countries.

Experience in conducting analytical work with practical implications on the extension of social protection and engaging in partnerships for health development is important.

Desirable: Experience relating to designing health insurance schemes, performance-based financing and other innovative health financing mechanisms. Good understanding of UHC concepts and how these can be adapted to middle income countries

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Essential: Masters level or above university degree in economics, health economics, public health or health policy.

Skills

• Good analytical (quantitative and qualitative) and writing skills
• Working in a multicultural environment
• Good team player
• Ability to coordinate national and international partners in the area of health financing for UHC.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond Producing results
• Knowing and managing yourself

Use of Language skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable: Beginners knowledge of another UN language.

Duration:

Consultancy is expected to start in 01 July 2021, until 15 November 2021.