International Consultant – Health Management Information Systems

Purpose of consultancy

The consultant will assist the Ministry of Health in strengthening the health management information system in the country through facilitating adoption of Timor-Leste Health Information System (TLHIS) as the common platform to access and use data from multiple sources and ensuring application of appropriate data management standards and sound analytic techniques for producing accurate and reliable fit-for-purpose information for decision-making at different levels of the health system.

Background

Health information systems (HIS) are pivotal in generating evidence for decision and action at all levels of the health system. Information and communication technologies (ICT) facilitate HIS role in efficient collection, storing, processing, analysis, dissemination and use of data. Countries including Timor-Leste have leveraged ICT for improving their data systems. In 2016, the Ministry of Health introduced TLHIS, using the web-based open-source software DHIS2 for collection of aggregate data from health facilities and rolled out TLHIS countrywide in 2017. Other digital information systems have been set up to serve various purposes, such as electronic medical records, disease registries, licensing and medicine supply and distribution. Efforts are underway to develop an integrated health information system where these different systems will be linked to TLHIS to enable secure and seamless flow of data, thereby allowing users to easily access data from multiple sources to meet their information needs.

To support sustainable development and implementation of a national integrated health information system, successful adoption of digital tools particularly TLHIS-DHIS2, as well as health data standards such as International Classification of Disease, 11th revision, is required at all levels. The Health Management Information System (HMIS) Department with support from the ICT department, continues to address technological and data literacy challenges as well as evolving reporting requirements by TLHIS end-users. Their work entails ensuring optimized server performance, coordinating review and improvement of TLHIS form, routine TLHIS Refresher/orientation trainings, conducting data quality reviews and promoting an information culture where health workers, program managers, department heads, directors and other staff, share, access and use data for decision-making.

The National Digital Health Roadmap (2019-2024) and HMIS Plan (2020-2024) provides technical guidance to HMIS department and other key stakeholders on way forward in harnessing digital health and strengthening HIS, for monitoring progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage, commitment to World Health Organization’s 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13) and achieving the objectives outlined in the Timor-Leste National Health Sector Strategic Plan 2011-2030.

This consultancy is required to support HMIS in ensuring continued commitment of stakeholders to the vision of an integrated national HIS and increasing the levels of use of evidence for decision-making across all levels of the health system.

Deliverables:

Deliverables 1: Provide technical support for improvement, implementation and maintenance of Timor-Leste Health Information System (TLHIS)

Deliverable 1.1: Revision of metadata and indicators of TLHIS and align with the health information need of the country

Deliverable 1.2: Conduct regular training for TLHIS

Deliverable 1.3: Regular for troubleshooting and maintenance related to TLHIS

Deliverables 2: Provide technical support for improvement, implementation and maintenance of Covid-19 Immunization Tracker (CIT) of Timor-Leste

Deliverable 1.1: Daily reports on COVID immunization campaign progress

Activity 1.2: Weekly reports on COVID immunization campaign progress

Activity 1.3: Maintain TLHIS-COVID Immunization Tracker

Deliverables 3: Develop integrated digital health eco-system for Timor-Leste

Activity 3.1: Plan integration of siloed clinical and public health information systems of Timor-Leste with TLHIS

Activity 3.1: Plan integration of other health related information systems including logistics management systems, human resource managements with TLHIS

Deliverables 4: Provide technical support for development and implementation of clinical information systems for Timor-Leste

Activity 4.1: Initiate improving hospital information systems of Timor-Leste and strengthen morbidity and mortality reporting

Activity 4.2: Initiate individual disease surveillance systems for Timor-Leste

Activity 4.1: Initiate AEFI system for Timor-Leste

Deliverables 5: Contribute towards improving Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System of Timor-Leste

Activity 5.1: Contribute to improve birth, death registration statistics in Timor-Leste

Activity 5.2: Facilitate cause of death recording and ICD-11 capacity building in Timor-Leste

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational qualifications:

Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in Medicine, Public Health or related field

Desirable:

• Master’s or Doctoral degree in Health Informatics or related field.
• Qualifications in Geographic Information Systems, Data Analytics and Statistics, morbidity and mortality coding nomenclature including ICD

Experience:

Essential:

• At least 5 years of work experience in the area of biomedical/health informatics, including HIS planning implementation, assessment, monitoring and evaluation at national and international levels.
• Experience in managing web-based data collection and visualization projects, including DHIS2.
• Experience in developing training material and conducting training related to health information systems

Desirable:

• Work experience in Timor-Leste and/or other developing countries in the Asian Region.
• Experience in working with UN agencies.

Skills / knowledge:

Essential:

Completion of advanced/expert level trainings in DHIS2 and possess advanced skills in DHIS2 customization and data analysis.

Desirable:

Familiarity of DHIS2 interoperability integration concepts, CRVS and Global Digital health Goods

Language required:

Essential: Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English

Desirable: Knowledge of Tetum and/or Portuguese

Location: On site: Timor Leste WHO country office

Travel: If travel is involved, full medical clearance is required. The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work

Local travel within the country, where needed, will be arranged by WCO Timor-Leste

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

• Remuneration: Band level A - USD 3,955 – 6,980 per month, depending on the consultant’s experience and educational background
• Living expenses: Approximately USD 3,930 per month as per the UN rate for the location (USD 131 per day)
• Expected duration of contract: 11 months.

Additional contracts can be offered based on funding availability and satisfactory performance

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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