Consultant - Primary Health Care, Suva, Fiji

Purpose of consultancy

This consultancy will provide technical assistance to Member States and areas in the Pacific for activities relating to health care delivery especially on PHC strengthening. The consultant will work under the supervision of the Coordinator Pacific Health Systems and Policy in the WHO division of Pacific Technical Support in Suva, Fiji and in close coordination with the Health Policy and Design Unit in the Regional office for the Western Pacific.

Background

Ongoing changes in economic growth, demography and social norms and the ever-increasing role of digital technology is expected to change the context in which health care is delivered in the countries and areas of the Pacific. These are already influencing the population health needs with an increase in the burden of chronic conditions and noncommunicable diseases.

Primary health care is vital to achieving UHC and for doing so in a way that reduces the trend of escalating health expenditure before it becomes unaffordable. It is key for providing people-centred hight quality health care that can address the increasing challenges of noncommunicable diseases, as well as to ensure that available services reach unreached populations.

In the Pacific Island countries and areas, primary health care is an increasingly important part of transformed health-care systems to meet the challenges of today and the future. Pacific Island countries and areas face specific challenges due to their small population sizes and dispersed geographies, which bring issues of access front and centre. In addition, it is often financially difficult to sustain high capacity and availability of tertiary level care and the common use of overseas medical referral schemes can prove prohibitively expensive, while limiting access to health services. Within this context, primary health care is especially critical, to refocus on maintaining healthy populations and limit the need for acute and specialist health services.

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the economic toll on PICs due to border measures, while putting pressure on already stretched health systems. While there is evidence of reduced access to essential services, many countries and areas have adapted and used the opportunities to explore approaches such as digital platforms and intensified community-based service delivery.

In line with the draft regional framework on the future of primary health care, it is now important to support the shift of primary health care from basic services, focused on episodic and curative encounters to comprehensive health care focused on maintaining the best quality of health and well-being, and provided through continuous interaction with individuals and communities.

Deliverables

The consultant will directly support the unit of Pacific Health Systems and Policy (PHS) on PHC-related issues. The consultant may also be required to travel to specific PICs as part of the activities. The consultant will perform the following duties:

• Follow up on action points from workshop to develop analytical and monitoring framework for different aspects of PHC chosen as priority.
• Engage in contextualized PHC technical policy briefs on strategic and or operational levers of PHCin Fiji
• Engage in the development of national level PHC roadmaps based on country needs and priority on promoting PHC.
• Develop analytical and monitoring framework for different aspects of PHC chosen as priority areas as requested
• Consultation with National and Subnational PHC Steering Committees.
• Drive advocacy for monitoring and evaluation and reviewing PHC actions in the form of multisectoral annual health review summits.
• Consult based on the practice on PHC with possible recommendations on further development in Fiji and other PICs.

Deliverable 1: Technical report for follow up on action points from the workshop to develop analytical and monitoring framework for different aspects of PHC chosen as priority. Deliverable 2: Technical report on selected topics on promoting PHC. Deliverable3: Completed technical report based on the practice on PHC in Fiji with possible recommendations on further development.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications

Essential: University degree in public health or related field including health policy, health economics, health services management. Desirable: Advanced university degree in public health or related field including health policy, health economics, health services management or similar areas of work.

Experience

Essential: At least 5 years’ experience in national level health policy making in lower middle-income countries, including at least 5 years of international experience. Experience in supporting PHC reforms and/or national health sector plans, and in health system reviews or performance assessments. Desirable: Extensive experience in sector plans and integrated service delivery models; Strong knowledge of technical areas: i.e., health systems development, Sustainable Development Goals, Universal Health Coverage, sector planning, monitoring and evaluation, priority setting, costing etc. Working experience with WHO or other UN agency in public health-related areas.

Skills/Knowledge

• Excellent analytical, planning and organizational skills
• Exposure to health sector policy-making at different levels. Familiarity with the Universal Health Coverage concept, PHC concepts, frameworks and practices, and on how to analyse health systems.
• Strong technical writing and analytic skills.
• Excellent communications skills both written and oral, and effective presentation skills.
• Capacity to work in a multidisciplinary team and communicate effectively with different target audiences.
• Proficiency with MS Office suite

Languages and level required

Expert knowledge of English (Read – Write – Speak)

Location

The Consultant will based onsite in DPS office. However, local travel within Fiji and to other Pacific Island countries may be required based on request.

Travel

The Consultant is expected to travel within Fiji and to PICs to provide support according to countries needs and requests. Travel costs to countries will be covered separately through a travel authorization.

Remuneration and budget:

Remuneration: Band level B = USD 350/day or USD 7,000/month Expected duration of contract: 11 months, estimated start date is 1 May 2024

Additional Information:

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
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