1.Purpose
The purpose is to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and Wellness in the development and implementation of a high-quality training programme in Family Medicine to support the capacity building of primary care physicians in Mauritius with a view to strengthen the primary health care system.
2.Background
The importance of primary health care has been well documented over the last few decades as countries strive to meet the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage. The 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata highlighted the importance of a strong PHC system, and the 2018 WHO/UNICEF document ‘A vision for primary health care in the 21st century: towards universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals’ accentuates on the role of PHC as a whole of government approach that combines policy and action, empowerment, essential services in an integrated, people centered and cost-effective approach to health services. Several global resolutions including the Declaration of Astana followed since, reinforcing the need for strong political commitment and stakeholder engagement in the strengthening of the primary health care system, focusing on sustainability, and an integrated, people centered approach.
The Seventy-second World Health Assembly in 2019 further embraced the Declaration of Astana in resolution WHA72.2 and recommended that Member States give utter importance to the policy through advocacy, and implementation of the vision.
Mauritius has adopted and implemented the concepts from the Alma-Atta Declaration by optimizing access to essential health services to the population through the development of primary health care centers near residential areas. The government has endeavored to consistently improve the quality of care through the provision of a family medicine model leveraging on the provision of integrated health care services to people according to their specific needs across their lifespan. As part of the primary care reform, the Ministry of Health and Wellness aspire to empower the health workforce to provide integrated people-centered care through a Family Medicine Model of service delivery Hence, capacity building of primary care health workers has been prioritized.
A one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Family Medicine is being developed by the Department of Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Mauritius in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW). The programme aims to equip community physicians currently working in Area Health Centres and Mediclinics of the MoHW with up-to-date knowledge, skills and competencies required for quality service provision, aligned with the WHO programme of work.
The lack of experience and expertise in the field of Family Medicine in Mauritius calls for the support of experts with experience in Family Medicine.
3.Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)
Start date:1/07/2023End date: 01/10/2023
Total duration: 90 days / months
It is anticipated the enrolment will the enrolment will start in the third quarter of 2023. In this light, it is hoped that collaboration will be initiated at the earliest to support the Ministry of Health and Wellness and University of Mauritius.
4.Requirements - Work to be performed
Objectives
The general objective of this collaboration is to support the Ministry of Health and Wellness in developing a high-quality training programme on family medicine for doctors practicing in the primary health care settings, in line with their mission to implement the Family Medicine Model in Mauritius to boost the universal health coverage targets.
The specific objectives are to
1.Provide support in the training of clinical, educational supervisors and prospective family doctors through on the job training support
2.Support the training of trainers for both UoM and MOHW resource persons
3.Support the programme through the accreditation process
4.Provide support with curriculum development especially e-portfolio and teaching
5. Provide feedback and review of the developed programme
6. Ensure that the resource persons are guided to provide a training that leverages on integrated and patient centered care across their lifespan and covering all aspects of service delivery (promotion, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care)
5.Requirements - Planning
The indicative outputs are as follows:
Expected outcomes
By end of the consultancy, it is expected the UoM will have:
1-A list of trained resource persons to deliver the Family Medicine Programme focusing on knowledge, skills and competencies required to provide integrated patient centered care
2-A structure of skilled educational and clinical supervisors to support the FM programme
3-Ahigh quality, state of the art family doctor programme essentialfor accreditation and delivery of quality services
4-A pool of family doctors with the knowledge and the practical skills and capacities to offer a comprehensive set of quality, integrated health services tailored to patients’ specific needs.
Deliverables:
•A roadmap to define the milestones
•Completed curriculum
•Training of the trainer’s workshop
•Well defined clinical and education supervision structures
6.Inputs
The supplier will contribute by providing technical support to the trainers identified for the Family Medicine programme, leading to the successful development/review of the curriculum as well as providing continuing support during the first year of the programme development.
7.Activity Coordination & Reporting
Technical Officer: UHC/HSSEmail:jodheeajuttona@who.int
For the purpose of:Technical supervision and instructions - Reporting
Administrative Officer:Name, Title, Department, UnitEmail:brasses@who.int
For the purpose of:Contractual and financial management of the contract
8.Characteristics of the Provider
A supplier with the following skills and competencies are sought:
-A minimum of 10 years of experience in training doctors in Family Medicine
-Able to provide remote and on-site training
-Able to use English as the preferred working language
-Has logistical capacity required to facilitate both remote and on site support
-Preference will be given to accredited firms
9.Place of assignment
The assignment will take place in Mauritius.