National Consultant: Support of the Development of the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission Plan, Liberia (1.5 months - onsite)

Contract

This is a NO-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-2 contracts.

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For every child, health is a priority!!

Introduction/Background:

Globally, progress in reducing new HIV infections among children has stagnated in recent years, with about 150, 000 new HIV infections among children (aged 0 – 14 years) occurred in 2020, declining by 53% since 2010. This progress has generally been dramatic following the introduction of the ‘Global Plan towards the Elimination of New HIV Infections among Children and Keeping their Mothers Alive’ – largely because of increased access to prevention of mother-to child transmission (PMTCT) related services and an increased number of pregnant women living with HIV being initiated on lifelong ARV medicines. However, this did not reach the 2020 targets set by UNAIDS and partners as part of the Super-Fast-Track Framework to end AIDS (UNAIDS, 2015). Acceleration of treatment for all pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV is still needed to achieve elimination of new infections among children and halve HIV-related deaths among pregnant women and new mothers. (UNICEF, 2021)

Liberia experiences a generalized mature low-level HIV epidemic with a prevalence of 2.1% according to the 2013 DHS and estimated to have declined to 1.1% in 2020. The National AIDS Control Program (NACP) HIV Estimates for 2020 revealed that females accounted for about 64% of total new HIV infections. Feminization of the epidemic occurs at different cycles of life. The estimates showed that 0.5% young people (15-24 years) are living with HIV. Data from the Integrated Behavioral and Biological Survey (IBBSS, 2018) among Key Populations (KP) shows HIV prevalence among female sex workers was 16.7% in 2018.

There is a higher HIV prevalence in 3 counties i.e., Montserrado, Margibi and Grand Bassa accounting for 75% of all people living with HIV. Moreover, HIV prevalence in urban areas (Female-2.4% and Male-1.8%) was almost three times that in the rural areas (Female-1.0% and Male-0.7%). This geographic disparity of HIV epidemic showed that in terms of prevalence, the 3 counties had an HIV prevalence of 2.7% while Nimba, Bong, and Lofa Counties had a low prevalence of 0.7%. Greater Monrovia, where about 30% of the national population live, bears the greater burden of the epidemic with prevalence of 3% in females and 3.4% is males.

Programs to prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to child (PMTCT) can reduce the rates of transmission to below 5% of all HIV exposed babies. For elimination of mother-to-child transmission, coverage of pregnant women who receive ARV for PMTCT was 81% in 2020. Mother-To-Child Transmission (MTCT) rate at the end breastfeeding was 15.3%, while MTCT rate at 6 weeks was 6.73%. While coverage level is high due to multiple strategies employed, percentage of children aged 0 to 14 years receiving ART stands at only 31%, with early infant diagnosis at 30%.

The National HIV Strategic Plan (NSP) 2021 – 2025 has prioritized elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (eMTCT) with a target of less than 2% by 2025. Following intense stakeholder consultations and in line with its determination to eliminate HIV infection in children, Liberia opted to implement the WHO Option B+ from the beginning of 2015 and committed to eliminating mother-to child transmission of HIV by 2020. Important advantages of Option B+ include further simplification of its current Option B regimen and service delivery and harmonization with ART programs, protection against mother-to-child transmission in future pregnancies, a continuing prevention benefit against sexual transmission to sero-discordant partners and avoiding stopping and starting of ARVs.

This calls for the need to systematically undertake an-depth review of the existing eMTCT plan 2015-2019 and PMTCT programme, including a bottleneck analysis to identify strengthens and weakness and with stakeholders develop a new EMTCT plan and carry out a costing exercise that will set the tone for the program implementation for the coming 5 years in line with the Essential Package of Health Services and National Health and Strategic Plans that are as well in the process of revision.

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Assignment:

To support the work of an International Consultant to conduct a review, including bottleneck analysis of the PMTCT programme, and revision and costing of a National 5-year eMTCT Plan for Liberia.

Basic Objectives of Consultancy:

The Consultant will work directly with the Ministry of Health – Family Health Division and National AIDS & STI Control Program Manager through the PMTCT Coordinator and will be based primarily at the Ministry of Health.

In close collaboration with the International Consultant, he/she will:

• Consolidate the inputs of the MoH and the other stakeholders involved (UNFPA, UNAIDS, UNDP etc) while aligning with the overall objectives and the priorities of the country.
• Check the cost associated with the draft of the eTMTCT Plan.
• Submit the finalized Plan to the group of CNLS experts, Ministry of Health and Population and technical and financial partners for its technical validation.
• Ensure the consolidation and production of the final document including a PowerPoint presentation

The Consultant is expected to provide weekly and monthly report detailing the activities carried out during the week.

Objective 1: Conduct an in-depth review of the National PMTCT programme, including a bottleneck analysis to identify strengthens and weakness within the different components of the health systems that facilitate and/or impede PMTCT programme along all the 4 prongs.

Key Activities/Tasks

Outputs/Deliverables

Time frame

• Situational analysis/Desk Review/preparation of methodology

Inception report and methodology

8 days

Objective 2: Identify future priority areas of focus based on the lessons learnt and the in-depth review of the PMTCT programme, including the bottleneck analysis also considering its capacities and health systems.

Key Activities/Tasks

Outputs/Deliverables

Time frame

• Data collection: questionnaires, KIIs, FGDs and support for facility assessments
• Preparation of preliminary review and assessment report of findings

Presentation of preliminary report on review and assessment findings

16 days

Objective 3: Develop the National eMTCT Plan 2022 -2026 aligned to the Start Free, Stay Free, AIDS Free Framework, the Global AIDS Strategy 2021 - 2026 and the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (2020 – 2025), Essential Package of Health Services and National Health and Strategic Plans.

Key Activities/Tasks

Outputs/Deliverables

Time frame

• Development of Draft National eMTCT Plan and preparation for the costing activity
• Costing of the eMTCT Plan
• final presentation of review and assessment report and validation of costed eMTCT Plan in workshops

Finalization and submission of final costed eMTCT plan

Workshops will be held to present and validate the draft cost eMTCT plan

16 days

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

Education:

• Degree in Public Health, Medicine, and/or Epidemiology;
• Other academic qualifications includes Statistics, Computer Science and Monitoring and Evaluation will be an added advantage.

Working Experience:

• Minimum of Two years of experience in conducting evaluation or research
• Knowledge and experience in HIV and AIDS program implementation and management is a must
• Proven ability to work effectively in a team setting, and collaboratively across departments within an organization, different Government Ministries and NGO stakeholders.
• Superior interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills are essential. Excellent written and spoken English essential.
• Highly motivated, with the ability to work independently, take initiative, participate as an effective team member, and follow complex tasks through to completion.

Language:

• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

• Builds & Maintains Partnerships.
• Demonstrates Self-Awareness & Ethical Awareness.
• Drive to Achieve Results for Impact.
• Innovates and Embraces Change.
• Manages Ambiguity and Complexity.
• Thinks and Acts Strategically.
• Works Collaboratively with others-Establish.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.

For every child, a future!