Individual National Consultant-Technical strengthening of medical oxygen systems in the United republic of Tanzania

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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Background

In many parts of the world, COVID-19 has exposed a significant oxygen gap including both limited oxygen infrastructure, production capacity and effective clinical use. Facilities need both increased oxygen provision and trained human resources, including biomedical staff to install and maintain oxygen equipment and clinicians to provide safe oxygen therapy.

Although the significance of medical oxygen therapy has become much better known during the COVID-19 pandemic, these oxygen needs extend across the health system for maternal, newborn, and child health as well as for surgeries and other medical conditions.

Since the occurrence of the first COVID 19 case in Tanzania in March 2020, the outbreak has affected all 31 regions in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar. As of 24th December 2021, Tanzania mainland had experienced four waves of the outbreak with a total of 29,306 cases and 737 deaths reported. For Zanzibar, 387 COVID 19 cases and 72 deaths have been reported since March 2021. This situation significantly heightened the needs for medical oxygen availability in the country with an inherent shortage of oxygen supply.

How can you make a difference?

Justification

In efforts to improve medical oxygen therapy in the United republic of Tanzania in collaboration with development and implementing partners the country has already made significant investment in this area and developed strategic plans to scale up oxygen supply in Mainland and Zanzibar. The investment made to date include installation of 19 oxygen plants in mainland, Procurement and distribution of oxygen concentrators and cylinders, pulse oximeters and capacity building to health care workers and biomedical engineers for effective use and maintenance of the strengthened oxygen ecosystem.

Hence, UNICEF Tanzania Office, is seeking assistance in the form of a consultancy with duration of 6 months (with a possibility of extension, contingent on availability of funds) to support in provision of TA to the GoT.

Objectives, Purpose and Expected results

The objective of this consultancy is to provide technical support to the oxygen program in the United republic of Tanzania, including

i )Conducting oxygen ecosystem mapping to increase access to medical oxygen across the health system at all levels; and

ii) Support the Ministry of health in coordinating partners investing in improving the medical oxygen ecosystem in the country

iii) Planning the implementation required to supply medical oxygen in key regional hospitals maintaining quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and alignment with standard medical and industrial practices.

iv)Supporting and coordinate activities geared at improving preventative maintenance of the medical oxygen infrastructure built/installed in the country to foster sustainability

v) Development of guidelines and SOPs for the provision of optimized oxygen care. This includes optimal clinical use of oxygen plus all the other elements of care for oxygen-requiring patients (essential emergency and critical care such as fluids, airway management, care for unconscious patients etc.)

Description of the assignment

1. Support the Governments to re-establish the Oxygen Working Group, both in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar. This will entail reviewing the TWG TOR, serve as the secretariat for meetings and tracking actions agreed during the meetings.

2. Support the GoT in collaboration with implementing partners to collate the assessments already conducted to produce a comprehensive report outlining the situation of medical oxygen availability and use in Tanzania. This report serve in quantification of the oxygen delivery systems and oxygen equipment needs and gaps. This will include regular updating of the report as needed.

3. Support GoT in updating the oxygen plans and strategies for mainland and Zanzibar with input from CO leadership and global counterparts. The plan should include technical and financial sustainability plan.

4. Coordinate national or subnational oxygen efforts on behalf of the country office. These efforts may include task forces or meetings and workshops.

5. In collaboration with relevant government counterparts plan for procuring the oxygen sources as informed by the need assessment (oxygen concentrators, cylinder etc.)

6. Support, coordinate and facilitate a series of GoT- led reviews of the identified national guidelines and strategies based on inputs from various stakeholders to decide the format of the guidelines and SOPs for the provision of optimized oxygen care, areas of responsibility and action plan which will culminate into development of final versions of the documents in Mainland and Zanzibar.

7. Coordinate and facilitate the GoT-led development of guidelines and SOPs for the provision of optimized oxygen care, including optimal clinical use of oxygen plus all the other elements of care for oxygen-requiring patients (essential emergency and critical care such as fluids, airway management, care for unconscious patients etc.)

8. Support dissemination of the guidelines and SoPs from national to subnational levels.

The consultant will ensure timely attainment of the following deliverables

Task

Deliverables

Estimated level of effort (Days)

Support the Governments to re-establish the Oxygen Working Group, both in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar

Meeting minutes for the monthly Oxygen Working Group meetings held starting in Jan 2022.

30 days

Support the GoT in collaboration with implementing partners to collate the assessments already conducted to produce a comprehensive report outlining the situation of medical oxygen availability and use in Tanzania

A compiled report(s) that consolidate findings from several assessments conducted. Two report one for mainland and another for Zanzibar

20 days

Support GoT in updating the oxygen plans and strategies for mainland and Zanzibar with input from CO leadership and global counterparts. With contribution from social policy section within UNICEF

Updated Oxygen Plans for mainland and Zanzibar by May 2022. Including financial and technical sustainability

30 days

Plan for procurement of the oxygen sources

Submission of a Procurement plan

10 days

Coordinate and facilitate the GoT-led development of guidelines and SOPs for the provision of optimized oxygen care, including optimal clinical use of oxygen plus all the other elements of care for oxygen-requiring patients (essential emergency and critical care such as fluids, airway management, care for unconscious patients etc.)

Technical workshop reports and final version of guidelines developed

20 days

Support dissemination of guidelines from national to subnational levels

Dissemination plan and report

10 Days

Reporting Requirement

The consultant will directly report to the Health Specialist - Emergency. The reports and deliverables will be jointly reviewed by UNICEF and MOH

Location and Duration

The consultant will execute the tasks in Dar es Salaam, Dodoma or travel to the subnational level as required

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

• Master of Public Health or relevant field with experience in program management, working with the government of Tanzania particularly the ministry of health.
• At least 4 years of relevant work experience
• Experience in oxygen systems is will be an added advantage, and broader public health experience will be considered
• Experience in Maternal Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) programming is an asset. Experience in working with a diverse set of stakeholders including government, UN, implementing partners
• Previous experience in working and supporting at policy level around assessment planning, medical equipment optimization
• Previous consulting and similar experience are preferred
• Exposure and experience how medical equipment supply system and maintenance works
• Computer literacy, MS Office Suite, willingness to be trained on UNICEF-specific oxygen tools including OSPT required
• Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal) to be able to liaise with a wide variety of people, good attention to detail.
• Familiarity and experience of working with UNICEF and LMICs is considered an asset
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Swahili is required.
• Local language proficiency is considered an asset

Evaluation

The applicant should submit both technical and financial proposal which clearly stipulate how the work will be conducted. Proposals will be both technically and financially evaluated. The technical part will carry a weight of 75%, in which the consultant will put clear his/her technical approach to ensure quality attainment of each deliverable and the consultancy in totality. The financial part will carry 25% showing proposed budget breakdown of consultancy cost for each deliverable and eventual total consultancy cost. This will make a total of 100%.

The consultant should also include all costs of this assignment including fee, travel costs, accommodation etc.

Payment Schedule

Payment will be done upon completion of deliverables. In this case, payment will be done in five installments (20% of each installment)

Policy both parties should be aware of;

• Under the consultancy agreements, a month is defined as 21 working days, and fees are prorated accordingly. Consultants are not paid for weekends or public holidays.
• Consultants are not entitled to payment of overtime. All remuneration must be within the contract agreement.
• No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant or Contractor
• Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on the UNICEF budget.
• Consultants will be required to sign the Health statement for consultants/Individual contractors before taking up the assignment, and to document that they have appropriate health insurance, including Medical Evacuation

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Builds and maintains partnerships, demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, innovates, and embraces change, drive to achieve results for impact, manages ambiguity and complexity, thinks, and acts strategically, work Collaboratively with others.

To view our competency framework, please click the link below.

https://www.unicef.org/careers/media/1041/file/UNICEF%27s_Competency_Framework.pdf

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 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.

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.