International Consultant to develop Guidelines on HIV, Hepatitis and STIs prevention services for key populations in Myanmar

Area of expertise: International Consultant to develop Guidelines on HIV, Hepatitis and STIs prevention services for key populations in Myanmar

Purpose of consultancy

This consultancy is to engage the services of an international expert to update the national guidelines on comprehensive HIV, hepatitis and STIs prevention packages for key populations in Myanmar. Working together with a national consultant, and in close coordination with the WHO Country Office (WCO), the selected consultant has to review the current national and organizational guidelines in view of the latest WHO guidelines and develop the new national guidelines in line with the current country context. From this guidelines development, service providers will be able to provide standardized prevention services for HIV, hepatitis and STIs to different key population groups customized to their needs.

Background

It is estimated that there are approximately 280,000 people living with HIV in Myanmar with around 11,000 annual new HIV infections. Similarly, it is estimated that around 3.5 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B and 1.4 million with chronic hepatitis C. Key populations such as people who inject drugs (PWID), sex workers (SW); men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender (TG) persons, are disproportionately affected by the burden of disease including HIV, viral hepatitis and STI. HIV prevalence among FSW, MSM and PWID were 8.2%, 8.8% and 34.9% respectively. Hepatitis B and C prevalence 4.4% and 1.4% respectively among FSW were while 5.5% and 1.3% among MSM according to IBBS 2019. Meanwhile, hepatitis B prevalence was 7.7% and hepatitis C prevalence was 56% among PWID. Syphilis prevalence was 11.5%, 14.4% and 1.5% among FSW, MSM and PWID respectively.

“A Core Package for HIV Prevention amongst Key Affected Populations” was published by the National AIDS Programme in Myanmar in 2014. Since then, there has been several developments such as new global guidance and recommendations on prevention services including for key populations; recognition of and inclusion of transgender women with different service package requirements in Myanmar; and newer prevention interventions available for all key populations such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); implementation of innovative intervention such as HIV self-testing; etc. Similarly, there have been initiatives to examine the situation on chemsex or sexualized use of drugs, and further to include programmatic adaptations to address this emerging issue.

In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) published its "Consolidated Guidelines on HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and STI Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care for Key Populations." These guidelines present a comprehensive set of recommendations tailored to the diverse needs of key populations, integrating interventions across the spectrum. From creating enabling environments to implementing broader healthcare strategies, these guidelines offer a holistic approach to addressing the health challenges faced by these communities. Consequently, national guidelines must undergo updates to effectively address the distinct requirements of each key population group. Against this backdrop, there is a need to develop an updated guidelines in Myanmar in line with the latest global guidance and to address the needs in the country.

Deliverables

Output 1: Outline of the updated guidelines developed with the areas identified to be updated

· Deliverable 1.1: Review existing national guidelines

· Deliverable 1.2: Outline a framework for the updated guidelines and identify the technical updates that should be reflected in the national guidelines

Output 2: Updated national guidelines with inputs from stakeholders incorporated in iterative drafts

· Deliverable 2.1: Prepare updated draft and incorporate feedback towards finalizing for proposing a comprehensive HIV, hepatitis and STIs prevention package for key populations in Myanmar

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: Advanced university degree in public health, social sciences, behavioral sciences, or equivalent from a recognized university

Desirable: Additional trainings related to HIV, hepatitis and STIs

Experience

Essential: Minimum seven years of experience in designing, implementing, monitoring or evaluating services for the prevention of HIV, hepatitis and STIs and with a focus on key populations.

Desirable: Multi-country experience in the field of HIV, hepatitis and STIs and experience in developing related guidelines, standard operating procedures etc.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Strong knowledge on HIV, hepatitis and STIs
• Knowledge on vulnerabilities and nature of services for key populations
• Excellent writing skills including on guidelines, SOP etc.
• Public health programming and service delivery
• Teamwork
• Communication

Technical Expertise:

Strong knowledge on the nature of the communicable diseases and other health related vulnerabilities affecting key populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM), sex workers (SW), transgender (TG) persons and people who use drugs (PWUD); along with knowledge and experience in designing related services targeted at preventing HIV, hepatitis and STIs among the KP.

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

Expert level of English is essential (Read-Write-Speak)

Location

Off site: Teleworking/remote.

Travel

Not applicable

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

a. Remuneration: (Band B level) – “400 USD per day with 30 working days between 26 June 2024 to 21 September 2024.

b. Living expenses: Not applicable. (This is remote assignment).

Additional information

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