Consultant

Purpose

The current Country Cooperation Strategy for WHO Sierra Leone was developed for a period of 5years from 2017 to 2021 and was in alignment with WHO Twelfth General Programme of Work and the 2017-2021 Health Sector Strategic Plan. This third generation of CCS was developed after a challenging period characterized by the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and WHO reforms, and its implementation was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which was declared a global Public Health Emergency.

In order to develop a new CCS which is addressing the current health needs in Sierra Leone, it was deemed necessary to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of WHO’s work done over the 5 years. The evaluation of Sierra Leone CCS 2017-2021will be performed by an external Evaluator (Consultant) in collaboration with the technical working Group composed by WHO Staff and MOHS. The evaluation will document the achievements, challenges during implementation of CCS 2017-2021, and the lessons learnt during the COVID 19 pandemic and other public health events affected Sierra Leone. The results of the evaluation will inform the new strategic Directions to improve health in Sierra Lone in alignment with GPW13 and national Guiding documents such as the National Health and Sanitation Policy and National Health Sector Strategic Plan 2021- 2025.

General Objectives

The main purpose of the CCS 2017-2021 evaluation is to evaluate the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability of WHO interventions and contributions to Sierra Leone health system over 5 years. As per the WHO Guidelines (AFRO, 2019) the evaluation will focus on expected and achieved accomplishments, examining the results chain, processes, contextual factors, and causality, in order to understand achievements or the lack thereof and draw the recommendations and priorities for the next generation CCS 2022-2026.

Specific objectives

1.To assess the contributions of WHO to the CCS strategic priorities and focus areas towards the country’s progress for improving the health and health systems in Sierra Leone

2.To examine the alignment of CCS priorities with those in Government Health agenda

3.To identify the key challenges and risk encountered during the implementation of the CCS as well as the lessons learnt, specifically during COVID 19 that could be used to improve heathy lives and wellbeing for Sierra Leonians

4.To Analyze the harmonization of WHO’s work with other UN agencies and other DPs and identify area of partnership and resources mobilization with Development partners to support new CCS priorities

5.Define the potential priorities for WHO collaboration over the next five years for CCS 2022-2026 for advancing UHC, protecting people from health emergencies, and promoting healthier populations.

3.Expected outputs

The following are key expected deliverables of consultant after the evaluation period.

1)An evaluation Report of the CCS 20217-2022 highlighting WHO’s contributions, Challenges/ threats encountered, and lessons learned towards improving health in Sierra Leone available and validated.

2)Recommended Priorities and Resource Mobilization plan for advancing UHC, protecting people from health emergencies, and promoting healthier populations in Sierra Leone,

4.Methodology

a) Evaluation team

The overall process will be coordinated by the Technical Working Group chaired by WR and composed by members from each Cluster/WCO and DDPI/MOHS with technical support from WHO/AFRO (CFC and PBM). A participatory evaluation approach will be used with qualitative and quantitative methods, through the consultation and desk review documentation. A National Consultant will be recruited to support the TWG for conducting consultations with stakeholders and collecting additional data from different sources. The consultant will collect data using predefined tools and questionnaire which will be developed/adapted in collaboration with TWG. Additional inputs and information will be provided by WCO staff using GSM and other WHO internal sources. The consultant will produce a draft report with key recommendations, which will be first reviewed and validated by the TWG, and SMT and then later discussed in a consultative forum with the government and other key stakeholders.

b) Data collection and analysis

The CCS evaluation process will use the three-phase qualitative and quantitative data collection methods as follows:

•A desk review of relevant, national and partners documents and reports, as well as the WHO internal reports and data from GSM which will help to assess WHO’s key contributions and achievements in the CCS priority areas.

•Qualitative data collection through individual interviews or focus group discussions with WHO Units, key stakeholders (Government, UN agencies and other Development Partners) involved in the implementation of the CCS priority interventions.

•Feedback sessions with Senior National Health authorities and other authorities involved in the implementation of the health sector priority interventions.

c)Stakeholder’s involvement

The evaluation is participatory. The following stakeholders will be engaged in the process, from the inception to the validation of the report:

•WHO Staff at three levels (Country, Regional and HQ offices)

•National health authorities from Ministry of Health and Sanitation and Government Institutions

•Different programs of MOHS and affiliated institutions including health service Delivery,

•Office of UN Resident Coordinator and other UN agencies

•Bilateral Development Cooperation partners involved in the health Sector

•Civil Society Organizations, Health Teaching institutions and other relevant Stakeholders collaborating with WHO or involved in health Sector.

The Specific questionnaire will be designed for each category

d)Confidentiality

The consultant will sign a confidentiality form at the time of signing of the contract.

e) Principles;

The CCS evaluation will comply with key principles of evaluation as defined by the WHO Evaluation Policy (2018); impartiality, independence, utility, quality, transparency, Credibility, Ethics, Human Rights and Gender Equality.

5.Deliverables

1)An inception Report describing methodology, evaluation tools/Questionnaire, list of key stakeholders for interview and the schedule for interview or Group Discussion, to be submitted during the first week

2)The draft CCS evaluation report for TWG review and the final CCS evaluation report incorporating the recommendations from TWG WHO

3)Power Point presentations for Validation workshop and reports

6.Evaluation report

The evaluation report will be structured based on the AFRO Evaluation Report Format as proposed in the WHO AFRO Guidelines on Evaluation and should highlight the answers/feedback on the key evaluation questions including.

•WHO Contribution to the national health development agenda including achievement of the SDGs, other National indicators and AFRO KPIs

•Influence and positive impact of WHO’s leadership, convening, norms and standards setting and their implementation, policy support, technical support and institutional capacity, and M&E support.

•Areas where WHO influence was required but not sufficiently present.

•Areas where WHO should focus in the future.

•Action to reinforce the integration of Gender Equity and Human Rights and reducing health inequities

•Actions to be taken to improve the partnership between the secretariat and the Member State and other stakeholders.

•The critical success factors and impediments; and identify the lessons to be applied to the future cycles.

The evaluation report will also clearly define management responses and outlines the evidence that’s lead to its conclusions, lessons learned and recommendations.

7.Validation and Dissemination of evaluation Report

A debriefing of CCS TWG will be organized at the completion of draft report to ensure that important points to be included in the report are captured and to discuss nuanced findings and areas to be included in later evaluations. The evaluation report approved by the TWG will be presented by the chair of TWG (WR) to Stakeholders including MOHS senior Managers, RCO, UN agencies and other key stakeholders.

The report will be printed and distributed to the stakeholders involved in the evaluation and other beneficiaries identified by the WCO. In accordance with WHO disclosure policy, the evaluation report and management responses will be published on WHO website.

3. Education

Master’s Degree in medical sciences or a health-related field with an advanced degree in public health. Other relevant training in M&E would be an added value.

Experience

At least 10 years’ experience of evaluating implementation of health strategies and programmes.

Knowledge of the UN/WHO work in Sierra Leone and strong understanding of Sierra Leone Health System,

Familiar with Country Medium Term Development Plan, the National Health and Sanitation Policy and National Health Sector Strategic Plan 2021- 2025 and UNSDCF participation in development of one of these documents will be an added value.

Expertise in evaluating implementation of public health strategies and programmes.

Demonstrated expertise in document review (technical and financial), and quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods

Language

Excellent written, analytical, and reporting skills.

Fluency in spoken and written English.

Skills and competencies

Good communication and presentation skills.

Strong theoretical and practical knowledge in results-based management in the health sector.

•Strong technical, analytical, conceptual, and inter-personal skills

•Knowledge and experience in quantitative and qualitative methods

•Prior experience in working with MOH and partners in the health sector 

•Ability to work independently and respond to feedback in a timely and professional manner.

•Proven professional integrity

•Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Office applications including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and knowledge of automated planning tools would be an asset.