The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries, while strengthening the capabilities of governments and the private sector in those countries to create and sustain high-quality health systems that can succeed without our assistance. For more information, please visit: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org 

CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. CHAI values diversity and inclusion, and recognizes that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse experience, backgrounds, and culture.

CHAI, in partnership with its India affiliate William J Clinton Foundation (WJCF), works in close partnership with and under the guidance of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) at the Central and States' levels on an array of high priority initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes. Currently, CHAI supports government partners across projects to expand access to quality care and treatment for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, tuberculosis, COVID-19, common cancers, sexual and reproductive health, immunization, and essential medicines.

Talent is the fundamental driver of WJCF’s success in helping save lives and reduce the burden of disease. WJCF’s organizational values reflect its relentless endeavour of hiring, nurturing, empowering, and celebrating diverse and high calibre individuals who come together to work as cohesive teams. WJCF places a high premium on providing its staff with an enabling environment that encourages entrepreneurship, humility, respect, equal share of voice and fosters high impact innovation to address some of the most challenging healthcare issues. 

Project Background:

With an estimated annual mortality of over 850,000 and an incidence of more than 1.3 million new cases (source: Globocan 2020, IARC, WHO), cancer has rapidly grown into one of the leading drivers of mortality and morbidity in India. Cervical cancer, with an annual mortality of over 77,000 and an incidence of ~124,000, is the second most common cancer among women in India.

Approximately, 90% of cervical cancer cases are detected at a late (stage III and above), leading to a high Mortality Incidence Ratio (MIR of more than 60%). Five-year survival rate for early-stage cervical cancer is 73.2%, whereas the prognosis for advanced stage is poor, with five-year survival rate at 7.9%. Low awareness, limited availability of trained human resources and technology for treatment, broken referral systems and inadequate monitoring are key barriers in access to quality cancer care.

Program Overview:

In 2019, WJCF, with support from CHAI and its donor UNITAID, initiated a program on secondary prevention of cervical cancer through improving access to and strengthening screening and treatment services. The program was initiated in the state of Madhya Pradesh, where WJCF is supporting the state government:

• build capacity on cervical cancer screening and treatment of cervical pre-cancerous lesions,
• catalyse deployment of new innovative technology / treatment devices and decentralize treatment of cervical pre-cancerous lesions,
• ensure availability of essential commodities and supplies to enable screening and treatment,
• strengthen reporting and referral mechanisms to monitor program impact and ensure positively screened beneficiaries receive appropriate care and treatment,
• create awareness and mobilize beneficiaries for cancer screening and follow-up treatment where needed.

The program is embedded in the state governments’ program on strengthening access to screening and management of non-communicable diseases including common cancers.

Learnings, evidence, collateral, and resources developed through implementation in MP is being leveraged to scale-up and strengthen interventions on secondary prevention of cervical cancer across other states including Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, and Uttar Pradesh. Learnings and best practices on capacity building of service providers on screening and treatment, decentralized deployment of devices for treatment of cervical pre-cancerous lesions, and IEC collaterals to mobilize eligible beneficiaries in communities for screening – are being leveraged to catalyse and strengthen systems and processes to increase access to quality screening and pre-cancer treatment for cervical cancer prevention.  

Position Summary:

WJCF seeks a highly motivated, entrepreneurial individual with outstanding analytical skills, problem-solving ability, and communication skills to support the program in Chhattisgarh. The Consultant must be able to function independently, be comfortable working and coordinating the operations of cross-functional teams, be flexible, and have a strong commitment to excellence. WJCF places great value on relevant personal qualities: resourcefulness, responsibility, tenacity, independence, energy, and work ethic.

Under this Agreement, Consultant will act as an advisory capacity to WJCF and its relevant stakeholders. Key responsibility areas include:

• Build strong relationships with strategic and key leaders within the state health systems (including but not limited to Department of Health, Medical Education, Medical Corporation, autonomous government institutes), NGOs/developmental partners and other relevant partners
• Secure buy-in and support on the program on secondary prevention of cervical cancer with health leadership, concerned officials at the state and sub-state levels
• Support program team in implementing programmatic activities in areas including, but not limited to:
  • Capacity building of service providers and frontline-workers on screening and management of common cancers, specifically cervical cancer
  • Strengthening access to cervical cancer screening and treatment of cervical pre-cancerous lesions
  • Expedite decentralized deployment of portable treatment devices to improve access to treatment of cervical pre-cancerous lesions
  • Support demand generation activities to raise awareness on cervical cancer prevention and mobilize beneficiaries for cancer screening
  • Support strengthening reporting and referral mechanisms to monitor program impact and ensure positively screened beneficiaries receive appropriate care and treatment
  • Other activities for successful operational roll-out and implementation of the program

• Travel extensively within the state to visit health care facilities (PHC/CHC/CH/DH/GMC/TCCC) to assess and monitor health systems and effective on-ground implementation of the program

• Actively engage with teams in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and other states where organisation is supporting implementation and strengthening of interventions on cervical cancer prevention to leverage learnings, strengthen and facilitate interventions in the Consultants program state

• Support program reporting requirements through facilitating periodic reporting on status / progress and key indicators or program deliverables through the implementation of the program in the respective state

• Undertake any other activities as asked by program leadership

Consultant will report to Program Manager during the Term of this Agreement.

• Over 5 years of experience in a public health, preferably related to non-communicable diseases including cancer
• MBA/MPH/MPA/MPP/MSW or a Master’s Degree in Economics, Sociology or related fields
• Experience of working in state
• Strong government liaising and stakeholder management skills
• Strong oral and written communication; ability to effectively communicate and represent WJCF in engagements with government and other external stakeholders
• Ability to absorb and synthesize a broad range of information, including technical information, and prepare presentations and reports
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word
• Fluency in English and Hindi
• Willingness to travel extensively within the state

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