International Consultant - Mental Health

Purpose of consultancy

The consultant will assist the WHO Country Office Maldives and Ministry of Health in integration of selected mental health services to the ongoing PHC reorientation efforts at the Faafu Atoll Demonstration site. Identified six mental health conditions are to be integrated into the demonstration site for early identification and referral through a shared care model (depression, psychosis, anxiety disorders, self-harm, epilepsy and substance use disorders). The service integration will include the development of service integration plans, developing standard screening and treatment guidelines, training and capacity development of the Health Care workforce, inputs for the e – learning modules and support in the setting up of mental health counselling services.

Background

The health of Maldivians has improved significantly in the last 2 decades. Noncommunicable diseases like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, stroke, chronic respiratory conditions, mental health conditions, injuries and other top the list of morbidity and mortality and disability due to demographic and epidemiological transition. NCDs accounted for nearly 78 % of the total disease burden in 2015 placing enormous challenges on the health sector in the country. About a third of hospital admissions were due to NCDs.

Mental health, comprising of both care and promotion, though given importance in Maldivian health systems, is not included under NCDs and operates as a vertical programme. Furthermore, lack of required number of qualified and trained human resources, fragmented approaches in mental health care, greater emphasis on tertiary care with limited focus on primary care – prevention – promotion along with limited capacity within the Organisation add further. An examination across the life span as detailed below informs that mental health conditions are more frequent, and prevention and promotion of mental health should be given equal importance. Mental health, in broad terms, includes provision of care for those in need along with promotion of positive mental health and prevention of diseases at all stages of life.

Faafu Atoll has been identified as a demonstration site for integrating selected care package to the existing PHC services. This demonstration site will include the integration of: population level screening for selected NCDs (diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia), lifestyle counselling services, identification and referral for common cancers and selected mental health conditions (depression, psychosis, anxiety disorders, self-harm, epilepsy and substance use disorders ), developing the service delivery model for integration and package of services, training needs analysis and capacity development plan for PHC and a supportive supervision and Monitoring and Evaluation system for PHC.

Terms of reference

• Overall technical guidance and support for planning and implementation of mental health programme for WCO and MoH Maldives
• Overall technical guidance and support for planning and integration of selected mental health services to the PHC system in Maldives through the Faafu Atoll Demonstration site
  • Operationalize the integration of identified mental health conditions to the PHC reorientation plan (depression, psychosis, anxiety disorders, self-harm, epilepsy and substance use disorders)
  • Develop SOP for the integration of selected mental health services
  • Developing targeted training packages through adopting the mhGAP training package
  • Provide supervision and support for the training programmes
  • Support integration of the training modules to the e -learning platform
  • Develop training modules for setting up of mental health counselling services
  • Developing of tools for supportive supervision of mental health services at PHC
  • Monitoring and evaluation of the delivery of identified services through the PHC project
• Provide technical guidance for National Drug Agency to strengthen drug treatment and rehabilitation services
• Develop a supportive supervision and monitoring & evaluation framework for drug treatment facilities

Deliverables

• Monthly progress report on status, actions and next steps towards each output.
• Overall technical guidance and support for planning and implementation of mental health programme for WCO and MoH Maldives - to be documented in the monthly progress reports
• Overall technical guidance and support for planning and integration of selected mental health services to the PHC system in Maldives through the Faafu Atoll Demonstration site
• Provide technical guidance for National Drug Agency to strengthen drug treatment and rehabilitation services (Continuously to be reported on monthly progress reports from March onwards)
• Develop a supportive supervision and monitoring & evaluation framework for drug treatment facilities (Continuously to be reported on monthly progress reports from March onwards)

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications

Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Health Science or related field in Medicine
• Advanced qualifications in Psychiatry

Desirable: PhD / MD in Psychiatry, Community Psychiatry, Public Health, or related field.

Experience

Essential: At least 5 years of work experience in the area of clinical psychiatry or community psychiatry or similar projects where NCD and MH services were integrated into Primary Health Care.

Desirable:

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

Skills/Knowledge:

Trained in clinical psychiatry or community psychiatry

Languages and level required (Basic/Intermediate/Advanced):

Expert knowledge of English

Location:

On site: Male, Maldives (please indicate office and duty station)

Travel:

The consultant is expected to travel

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

• Remuneration: Band level B; monthly remuneration of USD 7,000.
• Living expenses: Per diem will be paid as per WHO rules applicable to international consultant for travel.
• Expected duration of contract: 10 months

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) in English 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.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• 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.
• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.