National Consultancy: Technical support for health programme/projects on neonatal, maternal, HIV and vaccination (Only Iranian)

Consultant Medical & Health Programme & Policy

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, **R*****esilience.***

Technical Support to UNICEF, Iran Health Programme and Projects on Neonatal, Maternal, HIV and Vaccination

CONTRACT PROPOSED DURATION 7 months

BACKGROUND

In line with the UNICEF mandates, supporting national efforts relevant to neonatal and maternal health and immunization is among the most important health priorities. UNICEF has had a long-standing partnership with Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) and its key departments such as the Centre for Disease Control and the Population, Family and School Health Department for decades to address the above areas including under the new Country Programme Document for (2023-27).

Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV is one of the most prominent approaches in HIV control in the context of maternal and newborn health and is among priority strategies of UNICEF. UNICEF has been also a key collaborating UN agency supporting enhancement of the current PMTCT programme to pave the way for the Elimination of Mother To Child Transmission (EMTCT) in close collaboration with MoHME. To this end, an increased investments and technical assistance to Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National HIV/AIDS Programme of Iran to have a comprehensive, quality and affordable services to meet the needs of pregnant women is inevitable.

Maternal and neonatal health has improved in the last decades significantly. With Iran’s latest national policy in reproductive health and family planning to increase total fertility rate, there is a real need for improving the quality and coverage of maternal and neonatal health services to maintain the achievements and proceeding toward the better MCH indicators. Hence, UNICEF in its convening and technical role is supporting different departments in the MoHME to strengthen the coverage and quality for service provision and capacity building among service providers at different levels (PHC SDPs and hospitals).

Iran has a successful national vaccination program with a coverage more than 98% (based on the national data and reports). Following the approval of Iranian NITAG, MoHME decided to improve the quality of its vaccination programme through increasing the variety of vaccines in the national programme. Improving the quality and coverage of vaccination services is among UNICEF mandate and health most prominent strategies. In line with the UNICEF immunization policy and considering the introduction of two new vaccines in the national vaccination programme, UNICEF, through collaboration with WHO and GAVI, will provide its support to the government to introduce two new vaccines in the most appropriate approach. Cooperation for the procurement of qualified vaccines from approved producers, capacity building among service providers and administrative level in the field, strengthening the cold chain and cooperation for mass awareness campaign are among the planned activities.

How can you make a difference?

OBJECTIVE / SCOPE OF WORK

The consultancy is expected to provide professional technical assistance and support for programme/project design, planning, implementation, monitoring, and administration of programme/project activities, including data analysis, progress reporting, knowledge networking and capacity building, to support achieving of planned objectives of the workplan in alignment with country office programme goals and strategy.

The objective of this consultancy is to support implementation different key intervention and activities included under country programme document with focus on output 1.3 aiming at increasing the capacity of the health system, primary health care and health-care providers to deliver integrated, quality, equitable maternal and neonatal health, including prevention of mother-to-child transmission services, to targeted neonates and expectant mothers. The scope of works comprises of the following mainly:

1. Enhancing the capacity of health providers on prevention of Maternal, neonatal mortality and morbidity: With the country’s significant improvement in decreasing neonatal and maternal mortality and morbidity during previous two decades, UNICEF will support need-specific interventions in areas where improving the current national indicators has been identified as priority.

2. Strengthening capacity in Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) and introduction and deployment of new vaccine: Iran has planned to introduce two new vaccines (Rota and Pneumococci) to the national immunization programme. Implementation of this initiative will require support to community awareness activities, staff training, strengthening cold chain, etc. Hence, a close collaboration with the National Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI) unit, CDC and MoHME in general will be imperative.

3. Enhancing PMTCT programme to accelerate reaching EMTCT: UNICEF will be building on the 20-years-long national efforts to improve the current PMTCT which started as a pilot programme in 18 districts among 18 universities and expanded throughout the country thereafter.

METHODOLOGY

The consultant will be required to work under the supervision of health and nutrition specialist of UNICEF, Iran country office and deploy the following approaches to implement the assigned activities and deliver the products.

1. Accurate and timely information, data analysis, and documentation to support situation analysis, sectoral input, and reporting.

2. Technical assistance to develop and implement workplan through participation and collaboration with internal and external partners.

3. Project progress monitoring and adjustment towards programme delivery and sustainability.

4. Maintaining programme information and sharing reports with relevant stakeholders as required

ACTIVITIES, DELIVERABLES AND TIMELINES

ACTIVITY

DELIVERABLES

Estimate time

Payment

1: Prevention of Maternal, Neonatal Mortality and Morbidity

Technical support to capacity building of health providers/ midwifery faculty members to reduce the mortality and morbidity of maternal and neonatal with focusing on the provinces with high neonatal and maternal mortality. (Deputy of treatment and health). Activities are expected to include but are not limited to:

• Technical support to develop the agenda for the main priority intervention based on the assessment
• Support to conduct the due workshops in collaboration with neonatal unit and midwifery office
• Based on the result of workshop, working on drafting the first golden hour protocol

1.1. Draft national protocol for the first golden hour of newborns

1 month after signing of the contract

20%

Technical support to develop service package (based on needs assessment) for parents with sick/premature neonates and the staffs in hospitals through recruitment of consultant. Activities will include (not limited) to:

• Support developing the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the service package development
• Advance acquisition of technical expert
• Technical monitoring for timely availability of quality inception, progress, and final reports
• Participate in relevant meetings and provide the technical inputs and report to the head of unit

1.2. Mental and health service package for health providers/care givers with premature and sick babies

2 months after signing of the contract

20%

2: Immunization including Effective Vaccine Management

Technical support for the introduction and deployment of new vaccines. Activities are expected to include (not limited) to:

• Contribution to procure the new vaccines through UNICEF SD and GAVI Alliance (in case of starting the introduction)
• Cooperation in preparation of awareness raising IEC materials for 2 new vaccines in coordination with EPI unit
• Provide the first inventory report through the EPI unit and health network administration Centre
• Continuous monitoring and reporting on the instalment and establishment of WICs in 13 universities (19 sites)
• Reporting Finalize the deliverable of 17 refrigerated vehicles
• Participate in relevant meetings and provide the technical inputs and report to the head of unit

2.1. Technical report on CCE inventory

3 months after signing of the contract

15%

2.2. Developed IEC material for new vaccines in consultation with SBC

4 months after signing of the contract

15%

2.3. Technical Report on new WiCs quality and quantity status

5 months after signing of the contract

10%

3: Prevention-of-Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT)

Technical support to conduct the pre-validation assessments of elimination of mother-to-child transmission (‎EMTCT)‎ of HIV and syphilis activities are expected to include but are not limited to:

• Support developing the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the pre-validation
• Advance acquisition of technical expert
• Technical monitoring for timely availability of quality inception, progress, and final reports
• Coordinate with relevant UNs and MoHME HIV unit consulting to plan and implement the pre-validation recommendations

3.1. EMTCT national action plan based on the pre-validation assessment

7 months after signing of the contract

20%

CONDITIONS OF WORK The consultant may be expected to make themselves available at UNICEF office upon request by the positions’ supervisor.

There will be defined trips to relevant universities for monitoring and supervision of the projects. The consultant trips and mission to the field will be planned through coordination with MoHME, and financially support by UNICEF.

The consultant must ensure the physical and psychological safety of the children and adolescents as well as other stakeholders’ when interacting by applying the safeguarding guidelines. The consultant shall be responsible for any costs or claims associated with any illness, injury, death or disability of the consultant Personnel, if any. The consultant shall ensure that all of his/her Personnel used to perform obligations in connection with this Contract are adequately covered by insurance for any service-related illness, injury, death or disability. UNICEF accepts no responsibility for providing any corresponding insurance coverage.

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

• Minimum M.S. university degree in medicine, public health, or midwifery or relevant disciplinary

• Technical experience in maternal and neonatal health.

• At least 5 years’ experience of working in national health sectors. Higher experience will be desirable.

• Experience in the Primary Health Network (PHC)

• Professional work experience in programming, implementation, monitoring and reporting of health programmes/projects.

Interested candidates are requested to submit their applications including the financial proposal before the application closure deadline.

Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further assessments.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

Apply now

Added 6 months ago - Updated 6 months ago - Source: unicef.org