Consultant - Health Information Systems (HIS) Specialist

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1. Purpose of the Consultancy

The World Health Organization Philippines is seeking a contractor to support the strengthening of Health Information Systems (HIS) across the Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition projects. More specifically, the contractor will:

1. Provide consistent and effective technical support on the implementation and use of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) and Maternal and Neonatal and Infant Death Reporting System (MNIDRS), including providing overall guidance on the training/orientation of MNIDRS for the project sites of the SNIP2, as well as other related health information systems in accordance with initiatives and policies from the Department of Health.

2. Provide technical guidance and supervision on the continuous improvement and use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR), facility readiness and availability assessments for RMNCAHN and regional Monitoring & Evaluation dashboards.

The position will be under the overall supervision of the RMNCAH Technical Officer and the direct supervision of the M&E/HIS Officer. The position will also be working directly with the Adolescent Health and Family Planning Technical Officer. The contractual partner will coordinate with the WHO RMNCAH Coordinators who have sound working relations with DOH counterparts in the respective project sites.

In addition, the contractual partner is expected to maintain strong working relations with relevant counterparts in the Department of Health (DOH) such as but not limited to the Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service (KMITS), the Bureau of Local Health Systems Development and Information Technology Services stakeholders in the respective project sites through regular meetings and consultations.

2. Background

The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office, Philippines is currently implementing two projects under the Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition unit entitled “Strengthening Health Care Provider Network (HCPN) with Enhanced Linkage to Community for Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH)”, otherwise called the Subnational Initiative Phase 2, and “Accelerating the Reduction of Adolescent Pregnancy in Southern Leyte and Samar in the Philippines”, otherwise known as the Joint Program on adolescent health. Both projects are funded by the Korean Government through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Philippines.

The objective of the Subnational Initiative Phase 2 is to improve the health systems for maternal, child, and adolescent health across the three (3) regions. The project aims to achieve the following health outcomes:

1. Supported communities to develop effective approaches to essential health services for RMNCAH

2. Strengthened governance and management for the responsiveness of HCPN

3. Sustained and scaled up the initial gains in Region XI from the Subnational Initiative Phase 1

Outcome 1 includes the development and use of the Facility Readiness and Essential Service Availability Assessment (FRESAA) electronic tool.

Outcome 2 on health governance addresses the strengthening of health information systems (HIS) through increasing the use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR), real-time reporting systems and strengthening regional monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of health data. To strengthen health data monitoring, M&E frameworks will provide local decision-makers quick access to key performance indicators to support timely and data-informed local decision-making and accountability. Moreover, the project supports the implementation and strengthening of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) and Maternal Neonatal and Infant Death Reporting System (MNIDRS).

The Joint Project on adolescent health aims to reduce the number of adolescent pregnancies in the country with focus on the provinces of Samar and Southern Leyte in the Eastern Visayas region. To do this, the project implements activities to improve access to quality information and services for adolescents, raise the adolescents' self-awareness to enable them to make informed choices about their own bodies, and enhance the governance for adolescents' sexual and reproductive health. The project aims to achieve the following health outcomes:

1. Improved access to quality integrated sexual and reproductive health information and services in project sites

2. Raised self-awareness on adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health and rights

3. Enhanced governance on adolescent sexual and reproductive health.

Outcome 3 on accountability and governance encompasses the establishment of a local accountability system with a supporting health information system. This will consist of the development of Facility Readiness and Essential Services Availability Assessment and Reporting (FReSAAR) tool to assess the availability of service providers/human resource and materials, and readiness of primary care facilities to provide services to adolescents.

3. Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

Start date: 15 July 2023

End date: 14 June 2024

4. Work to be performed

Method(s) to carry out the activity

Output 1: Support HIS initiatives under the Subnational Initiatives Phase 2 (across 3 regional project sites: Butuan or Agusan del Sur, Caraga; Iloilo or Kalibo, Western Visayas; Davao City, Davao).

· Deliverable 1.1: Provide Technical Assistance in the organization for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) and participate in maintaining the CRVS Technical Working Group between DOH, Civil registry, WHO, and other key partners, assisting to build consensus on HIS design for CRVS implementation in the Philippines.

· Deliverable 1.2: Organize and support trainings and technical consultations on the reporting system for maternal, neonatal, and infant deaths, called the Maternal Neonatal and Infant Death Reporting System (MNIDRS).

· Deliverable 1.3: Provide technical guidance to strengthen the use of the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system, ensuring alignment with the national eHealth strategies and interoperability approach under the UHC Law.

· Deliverable 1.4: Support the provincial and regional counterparts in the use of the Facility Readiness and Essential Services Availability Assessment (FRESAA) tool for maternal and child health and the regional Monitoring & Evaluation dashboards for programmatic indicator updates.

Output 2: Support HIS initiatives under the Joint Program on adolescent health (across 2 provincial project sites: Catbalogan in Province of Samar and Maasin in the Province of Southern Leyte and Tacloban as the capital of Eastern Visayas Region).

· Deliverable 2.1.: Support the project management team to assess gaps in data monitoring tools for adolescent health programming in project sites, organizing and facilitating consultative meetings with CHD and PHO counterparts in Eastern Visayas.

· Deliverable 2.2: Support the design of the Facility Readiness and Essential Services Availability Assessment and Reporting (FReSAAR) tool for Adolescent Health as the project’s HIS tool that addresses data gaps (identified under deliverable 2.1) in AHDP and facilitate the regular and continuous utilization of the newly design HIS for the project.

Output 3: Assist HIS initiatives across other RMNCAHN activities when needed.

5. Specific requirements

Education and Certifications

· Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, computer science, statistics, or related field. Knowledge of universal health coverage (UHC) is an advantage.

· Advanced degree in public health, social sciences, statistics and/or monitoring & evaluation or related field preferred.

Work Experience

· Extensive experience in health information systems, data collection, monitoring and evaluation preferably in the health sector and relevant experience in supporting systems development. Experience in working with the UN system and knowledge of UN system procedures is an advantage.

Technical Skills and Knowledge

· Proven ability to assess user requirements, design, develop and update software programs for health programming.

· Proven ability to provide technical assistance to government counterparts and engage participants in workshops.

· Ability to present data clearly and generate reports

· Excellent inter-personal skills, diplomacy and ability to communicate effectively with senior officials, multiple stakeholders and professionals

· Excellent analytical, planning and organizational skills

· Ability to work collaboratively in a multicultural environment with limited supervision

· Ability to work under pressure.

Language

· With excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Verbal skills of the Filipino language and Bisaya dialect are of advantage, but not an absolute requirement.

6. Competencies

· Communication

· Teamwork

· Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

· Producing results

· Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond.

7. Place of assignment

Manila, Philippines

8. Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

9. Travel

Consultant may travel to project sites: Butuan or Agusan del Sur, Caraga; Iloilo or Kalibo, Western Visayas; Davao City, Davao; Tacloban, Catbalogan, Maasin, Eastern Visayas.

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
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• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
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• The purpose of this vacancy is to develop a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in this advertised roster. All applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application (whether successful or unsuccessful) upon conclusion of the selection process. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments falling in this area of work or for similar requirements/tasks/deliverables. Inclusion in the Roster does not guarantee selection to a consultant contract. There is no commitment on either side.
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