Consultant – Engagement of the Private Sector in Primary Health Care in South Asia, UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia

Consultant Medical & Health Programme & Policy

Overview

Engage the private sector in primary health care across South Asia

You have:

• Minimum 10-15 years of experience and expertise in global health and health systems.
• Proven experiences of working with government and UN agencies.
• Proven record of undertaking qualitative and quantitative research.
• Proven experience in designing multi-stakeholder implementation pilots.
• Proven project management and coordination skills.
• Skilled meeting and workshop facilitator.
• Work experience with UNICEF is a strong asset.

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, a future

Background and Rationale:

Every year, 35.3 million children are born in South Asia. According to 2019 estimates, one in 40 of them – that is, 882,000 babies – tragically die in the first month of life (a neonatal mortality rate of 25 per 1,000 live births). A further 524,000 of them die before the age of five (a total under-5 mortality rate of 41 per 1,000 live births). There are 651,000 stillbirths. According to the latest available estimates (from 2017), 57,000 mothers die annually – a maternal mortality ratio of 163 per 100,000 live births. While more and more children in the region get routinely immunized, challenges with access and equity are still significant. 5.3 million (2021) of the 35 million children born every year remain un- or under-vaccinated. Around 4.3 million of these children are zero-dose children – that is, they receive no immunization at all.

For detailed background on this consultancy, please click the link ToR PHC ROSA - BCO and PCO integrated consultant copy.docx

Purpose:

The aim of this consultancy is to identify potential opportunities for engaging the private sector on Primary Health Care (PHC) in the ROSA region and countries. This means examining the private health sector across the region and within individual ROSA countries and proposing ways to strengthen private sector engagement in PHC planning, financing, quality and delivery to ensure timely access to quality PHC services, without financial hardship for all.

The regional part of the analysis provides the basis for engagement (regional road map) and the country-specific action plans provide an immediate way forward to help jumpstart the private sector engagement (e.g., pilot projects, mechanisms for collaboration, policy reform). The consultancy will specifically explore, conceptualize, and prioritize concrete engagement opportunities in two countries, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and develop proposals to turn the most promising of those opportunities into viable pilots/policy reform ready for implementation.

Key Assignments and Tasks:

A. Preparation of knowledge products with regional (roadmap) and oversight and management of country-specific (deep-dives) components.

The consultant will proceed with the development of the knowledge products and country action plans under the overall guidance of the ROSA team and country offices. The structure and content of all deliverables (and workshops) will be agreed with ROSA team. The delivery and timeline of country specific action plans will be discussed and agreed with UNICEF country offices and the local government.

1. Situation analysis and scoping: understand the regional context and background for engaging the private sector (PS) in PHC. Describe the private sector’s current size, recent growth, scope, and role in healthcare at the regional level. For example: % of Health service delivery done by PS in the region, (hospital/clinics/pharmacies at various levels, national/local split), contribution of PS towards innovation in health in terms of processes and technologies (digital, eHealth, etc), PS financing, PS contribution to UHC, etc.
2. Conduct landscaping of existing private sector engagement activities by other partners, evaluate options for strategically strengthening existing initiatives.
3. Review of government policy towards private sector engagement and evaluate actual state of implementation. Regulatory, legal and implementation mechanisms for PS sector integration in health services (e.g., accreditation, data sharing with HMIS, purchaser-provider mechanisms, payment, and insurance cover, etc.).
4. Define and prioritize challenges in dealing with private sector and barriers to private sector engagement at regional level. Identify opportunities for engagement with PS (feasibility study). Prioritization can be done based (based on urgency, impact, feasibility of resolution, and other factors. Suggest for way forward (regional priorities and roadmap for optimal collaboration with private sector). Focus on actionable recommendations for strengthening private sector participation and engagement.
   • • Define a list of generic engagement opportunities at regional level
   • Design engagement mechanisms (events, publications, etc) and target group
   • Prepare a roadmap for private sector engagement in PHC (including feasibility study, costing of PHC packages of services provided by the PS in the region (the cost can be presented as a range).
5. Drawing upon examples from the region and internationally (Thailand, Philippines, and many other countries such as Japan have very important and relevant examples), provide examples and best practices for how to take forward the engagement suggested under 3. above.
6. Oversight and guidance on the development of deep dives by national consultants at the country level (Bangladesh and Pakistan) : to compliment the regional research and ensure that the roadmap for private sector engagement is relevant and can be applied at country level, immediately. The two countries selected, Bangladesh and Pakistan, are based on expressed interest in PS engagement (by government and stakeholders) and the urgency of engaging the PS since it is already heavily engaged in providing PHC. The country deep-dives should be in the form of action plans that can be integrated with on-going PHC and HSS advocacy activities (at Country Office level) and start being implemented in different formats: pilots, policy and financing reform, advocacy. The action plans can contain the following parts:
   • • Overview and context, describing i) the current role that the private sector holds (size, impact on PHC service, financing contribution, health information system and oversight, etc), ii) government policy, plans and strategies related to private sector engagement in the health sector (e.g. PPP authority in Bangladesh, national health strategy and sector plan), as well as iii) categorization of different types of private sector engagement mechanisms in place (e.g. donor funded, national/international private sector presence, etc).
   • Challenges and solutions. Based on the above overview and in consultation with government, partner and private sector stakeholders, review opportunities and areas of collaboration and provide a prioritised list of areas for private sector engagement. Prioritisation should be based on country needs/interest, private sector capacity/capability, feasibility of implementation, as well as other relevant factors.
7. Oversight of the testing and finalizing of the country action plans.
8. Upon completion of the knowledge products (regional strategy and country deep-dives) the consultants (national and international) will organize a round of ideation workshops to help shape and define concrete engagement opportunities with the private sector regionally and in the two selected countries. The workshops will target relevant government and private sector stakeholders, UNICEF Country Offices, as well as partners. The workshops will provide a platform for testing the action plan and suggested interventions (pilot, policy change, etc.). The consultant will integrate feedback into the final country action plans on private sector engagement in PHC.
9. Review and dissemination of the knowledge product at regional and country workshops. Upon completion of the knowledge product (regional strategy and country deep-dives) the consultants will organize dissemination workshops (1 regional and 1 in each country) to present the plan with a range of relevant regional and national stakeholders (UNICEF Country Offices, government, private sector, academia, ROSA office, etc). Where needed, the plans should be translated into local languages, to ensure that all stakeholders can fully engage.

Key Deliverables:

Regional situation and landscape analysis of private sector engagement for PHC in ROSA countries

15

31 July

2

Regional (ROSA) Private sector engagement for PHC Strategy and Regional Roadmap

15

31 October

3

Region-specific feasibility study for PS engagement, including challenges and opportunities overview for PS engagement for PHC, government policy and procedures (regulatory) overview, available resources with UNICEF and partners

18

31 August

4

Identification and costing of PHC service packages provided by PS in the region (suggestion for “model package”) as well as oversight over national consultants’ fully costed PHC service packages provided by the private sector in 2 countries (Bangladesh, Pakistan).

20

31 August

5

Support countries with private sector resource mobilization, providing inputs into national planning and reform agendas

5

31 October

6

Ideation and Knowledge sharing Workshops in country (at least 2 each) and in the region

6

31 October

7

Support drafting 2 papers on PS engagement, and draft concept note for technical and financial support from RO and HQ

10

31 July

8

Identify and document country case-studies and best practices (at least 2) for PS engagement

10

31 August

Note: Please submit your applications with the financial proposals. Applications without the financial proposal will not be considered.

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

Minimum Requirements:

The Consultant(s) should have:

• Minimum 10-15 years of experience and expertise in global health, health systems, health economics and the politics of health reforms for PHC including health care financing.
• Proven experiences of working with government, UN agencies, private sector/industry/thinktanks and other partners in the South Asian region on primary health care.
• Proven record of undertaking qualitative and quantitative research and assessments with reputed organizations, governments, giving details of jobs undertaken and completed, name of the organizations with their contact numbers, duration, coverage of such survey work, etc.
• Proven experience in designing and facilitating co-creation sessions with multiple stakeholders.
• Proven experience in designing and shaping multi-stakeholder (government, international agencies, private sector) implementation pilots that address complex societal outcomes.
• Proven project management and coordination skills.
• Skilled meeting and workshop facilitator.
• Work experience with UNICEF is a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org