National Consultant Primary Health Care ( Gaza & West Bank)

1. Purpose of Consultancy ;

The purpose of this consultancy is to review the role of primary health care in the

COVID-19 pandemic response including the analysis of service utilization during COVID-19.

2. Background

During the last 2 years Palestine witnessed as the entire world the COVID -19 pandemic and its implication on the PHC continuity of care.

The current epidemiological situation associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to ensure continuous access to essential health services without which, there is an increased indirect morbidity and mortality. In the emergency situations, like the COVID-19 pandemic, PHC plays a substantial role in prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery – and in ensuring the continued access of the population to essential health services, thus preventing an increase in morbidity and mortality from causes not directly related to the coronavirus.

The PHC in Palestine played a substantial role facing the COVCID – 19 Pandemic by testing for cases, managing the isolation centers and Treatment centers, and in the public immunization

3. Planned timelines

Duration: 1.5 months

Start date: 15 November 2021

End date: 31 December 2021

4. Work to be performed

The main two objectives are:

1. 1. Analysis of PHC service utilization during COVID-19
   2. Identifying gaps in essential health service provision

   The following outline summarizes the required questions to produce the work:

• Comment on primary health care facilities infrastructure (max 2 pages); essential health services package, essential drug list, staff pattern, standard set of medical equipment and furniture, training programs, treatment protocols, referral system, information system, quality/ accreditation program and patient satisfaction with quality of service delivery.
• The country policy for role of PHC sector in COVID-19 pandemic.
  • What are the terms of PHC national COVID-19 plans?
  • How PHC planning be better integrated in national and sub-national and coordination processes for COVID-19?

• Primary health care service delivery involvement in COVID-19.

  • Political commitment on PHC role against COVID-19.

• What was is the role of primary care facilities in each of its main functions during the pandemic:

• maintaining essential health services;

• preventing COVID19 through supporting effective public health measures;
• diagnosing COVID19 cases and ensuring adequate referral;

• managing mild and moderate COVID19 cases

• PHC service delivery capacity (HWF, medicine, personal protective equipment, infections control, financial difficulties …..) during the pandemic

  • Effective referral system during the pandemic.
  • Does primary care facility involve in COVID-19 vaccination?
  • PHC involvement in innovative solutions: E-Health, Mobile apps and telemedicine etc.
  • PHC involvement in providing post-COVID assessment, rehabilitation and follow up

• Main COVID-19 related challenges faced PHC service delivery during the pandemic.

  • Utilization of PHC services (vaccination, antenatal, NCD…) during 2020 comparing to 2019 and 2021.
  • What PHC delivery models are best suited to flexible and integrated public health and primary care service provision during COVID-19?

• What are the main causes for disruptions to essential health services?

• Country responses (policies, guidelines, mitigation strategies etc) to minimize the consequences for essential health service

5. Recommendations for better PHC preparedness for future pandemics.

5. Deliverables:

Written report in English language between 10-15 pages excluding annexes. The report will include max two pages executive summary detailing how the country responded to COVID-19 according to a primary health care approach in the identified districts. This report will be prepared based on reviewing published and unpublished literature as well as expert interviews.

The report is based on the outline presented in section 4 above. Based on the data availability, the consultant may use the following headlines and questions as guidelines to write a concise review on the country primary health care role in the COVID-19 pandemic response for leading equitable recovery.

6. Specific requirements

Education:

University degree in public health, health management, health systems, or another related field.

Experience****:

At least 5 years of experience in research/ academia/ consultancies in public health and service delivery innovations .

Skills/ Technical knowledge

Technical Knowledge in the following areas:

• Excellent knowledge of health systems and PHC, stakeholder analysis and service delivery.
• Solid background in health system
• Good experience with project management
• Good communication / PR skills

Language:

Fluent (Read - Write - Speak) in English

7. Place of assignment

- Gaza consultant will work from home and will do field visits in Gaza district.

-West Bank consultant will work from home and will do field visits the targeted districts (Bethlehem, Ramallah, Tubas, Northern Hebron and Salfit.)

8. Medical clearance:

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

9. Travel:

Local consultancy – no travel requested.