Consultancy: National Community Health Workers Policy Review, Pretoria, South Africa (30 days)

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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.

For every child, health.

UNICEF South Africa

UNICEF has had a presence in South Africa since the end of apartheid and continues to work towards bettering the lives of children in the country.

From its office in Pretoria, the UNICEF South Africa Country Office works with a range of partners in government, civil society, academia and various other sectors to create a safer and healthier environment for every child.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the health system globally faces a shortage of skilled health care staff across 57 countries with an estimated 4.2 million workers needed to fill the gap1. For half a century, Community Health Workers (CHWs) have been linking communities to health care services and bridging the gap between communities and health facilities2. They are recognised as a key resource with regard to health promotion and disease prevention. The scope of their work addresses the burden of disease in the country. In 2011, the SA Government launched the model for re-engineering Primary Health care through three streams; one of which is the Ward-Based Primary Healthcare Outreach Teams (WBPHCOTs)3 which is centred around health promotion, prevention and community involvement and where services are provided at household and community level.

Against this backdrop, in 2018, A Policy Framework and Strategy for the Implementation of the Ward Based Primary Health Care Outreach Teams (WBPHCOTs) was approved by the National Health Council. This Policy Framework and Strategy ends in March 2024. The development of the policy went through extensive consultation with all stakeholders including civil society, academia and organized labour. The policy intent was to provide a framework to guide implementation of the WBPHCOTs and facilitate the efficient coordination, management and leadership of WBPHCOTs to support the delivery of PHC services. The formalization of the WBPHCOTs through the policy provisions also necessitated the standardization of conditions of service for CHWs, management structure, capacity development and monitoring and evaluation across the board. To date, no formal evaluation nor assessment of the implementation of this policy has been undertaken by the National Department of Health. With the policy framework and strategy coming to an end in March 2024, understanding and documenting the implementation process is key in order to strengthen the implementation of the programme and to inform the policy update process.

How can you make a difference?

The consultant will conduct the desktop review on the implementation of the WBPHCOTs policy framework and strategy including international and regional literature on the implementation of large scale CHW programmes.

Objectives of the Desktop Review - To gain an understanding of the WBPHCOT implementation in the 9 Provinces including policy context, best practices, enabling factors, successes, challenges, and recommendations from the existing literature.

Methodology - The desktop review activities will include literature review on the existing published and unpublished research on the implementation of the WBPHCOTs including. This work will also include an analysis of the existing international and regional literature on the implementation of large-scale community health worker programmes and draw lessons and recommendations in line with the desk top review scope. The service provider will also be expected to analyze any secondary data collected as well as creating a reference list so that all key documents are easily accessible.

The desktop review will cover the following areas of interest:

• the implementation of the WBPHCOT policy framework and strategy in the 9 Provinces and the approaches adopted.
• conditions of service for community health workers and Outreach Team Leaders (including entry requirement, remuneration/stipend/incentives models and working hours).
• Scope of work of the CHWs and OTLs and the activities of CHWs and OTLs.
• Training of community health workers and Outreach team Leaders.
• Supervision model for CHWs.
• Institutional/management structure of CHW programme at all levels of government.
• Approach on the provision of primary care at household level.
• Approaches to linking CHWs to PHC facilities and the communities
• Data collection and reporting on CHW work and other existing reporting systems including mobile health systems.
• Governance, financing and service delivery aspects of CHWs.

The NDoH will also provide other documents such as the following:

• Policy Review and Strategy for the implementation of WBPHCOT.

Research themes

• The implementation of the WBPHCOT policy framework and strategy in the 9 Provinces and the approaches adopted.
• Conditions of service for community health workers and Outreach Team Leaders (including entry requirement, remuneration/stipend/incentives models and working hours).
• Scope of work of the CHWs and OTLs and the activities of CHWs and OTLs.
• Training of community health workers and Outreach team Leaders.
• Supervision model for CHWs.
• Institutional/management structure of CHW programme at all levels of government.
• Approaches on the provision of primary care at household level including management of referrals to health facilities and back to the community.
• Approaches to linking/integrating CHWs to PHC facilities and the communities.
• Data collection and reporting on CHW work and other existing reporting systems including mobile health systems.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Public Health
• 5 years’ experience in health-related field including experience in community health work.
• Knowledge and understanding of the ward-based primary health care outreach team (WBPHCOT) policy framework and strategy.
• Prior work experience in desktop reviews and research methodologies and activities.
• Excellent writing skills.
• Strong ability to multi-task and a drive for on-time delivery required.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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 offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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:

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.