National Health Financing Consultant

1. Background

The Government of Kenya is committed towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as one of the key priority agenda. Health financing is a key element of enabling progress to Universal Health coverage. To support Kenya’s path to UHC, the government developed the Kenya Health Financing Strategy (KHFS) 2020-2030 to guide country efforts in moving towards UHC, and therefore guarantee health entitlements as a means of realizing the constitutional right to health, within the context of available resources. While health financing is only one of the core functions of a health system, it significantly influences both the extent to which the population can access health services and financial hardship because of accessing health care. The specific objectives of the KHFS are to:

• To mobilize resources required to provide the essential health services people of Kenya need
• To maximize efficiency and value for money in the management and utilization of available health resources, and
• To ensure equity in mobilization and allocation of health funds to guarantee fairness in use

Progress in the implementation of the financing strategy needs to routinely be monitored to accelerate strategies and interventions towards achieving the defined objectives through recommending priority directions and areas of focus for to support implementation.

The World Health Organization has developed the Health Financing Progress Matrix (HFPM) as standardized qualitative assessment of a country’s health financing system. It is meant to provide more real-time information to policy makers, building on the quantitative approaches such as the System of Health Accounts and Financial Risk Protection monitoring which contribute to the HFPM background indicators(https://www.who.int/teams/health-systems-governance-and-financing/health-financing/hfpm-background-indicators ). The HFPM can assesses strengths and weaknesses in a country’s health financing system, based on a set of evidence-based benchmarks, framed as nineteen desirable attributes. The desirable attributes are a representation of what matters in health financing to make progress to UHC, based on an extensive review of conceptual and empirical knowledge. The performance of a country against a desirable attribute is measured through one or more question; each question is carefully justified, with an explanation of why it is important, and what it means to make progress on the issue being assessed. This approach allows not only strengths and weaknesses to be identified, but also clear recommendations for the direction of a country’s health financing reforms. More routine monitoring of health financing policy means that the HFPM can provide regular action-oriented feedback to policy makers. The implementation approach for HFPM assessments can also contribute to local capacity building, as well as alignment across stakeholders.

WHO Kenya Country Office in partnership with the Ministry of Health and in collaboration with the Council of Governors seeks to conduct an assessment to monitor progress in the implementation of the KHFS using the Health Financing Progress Matrix (HFPM) in Kenya. The implementation of the activities to support HFPM in Kenya will also be done in collaboration with the implementation of the African Union Tracker an initiative of the Africa Leadership Meeting (ALM) that is being coordinated through the East African Community.

Purpose and Objectives

• To apply the Health Financing Progress Matrix (HFPM) in assessing the performance of the health financing system in Kenya.

Scope of work

• Collect information on all the health financing attributes within the HFPM for Kenya through document review and key informant interviews
• In collaboration with health sector stakeholders, use the information collected to assess progress on the different health financing attributes
• Share the draft findings from the review within technical working group for validation
• To revise the report based on the comments based on internal and external stakeholder reviews
• Disseminate the validated findings with national stakeholders through the national health financing dialogue

2. Deliverables

• Draft report and PowerPoint presentation with the findings
• Final report validated by stakeholder.

3. Educational Qualifications

• Essential: Master’s degree in in health economics, public health, health policy, health financing or related degree.

• Desirable:

  • WHO training in the application of Health Financing Progress Matrix (HFPM)
  • WHO training on Health Financing for Universal Health Coverage
  • PhD in health economics/ health financing is an added advantage

Experience

• Essential:
• At least 7 years’ experience in conducting evaluation/review studies in the health sector, particularly of health financing systems.
• A good understanding of the health financing in the context of the Kenyan health sector

Desirable: Experience working with WHO, UN agencies or any other international organization in similar or higher capacity will be an added advantage

4. Technical Supervision

The successful candidate will report to head of UHC-LC Cluster

5. Skills/Knowledge

• Essential
• Have experience in written skills including experience in developing written reports and incorporating feedback
• Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills with ability to work in a team with multiple stakeholders and independently

6. Languages and level required

• Essential: Must be proficient in English (writing and speaking)

• Desirable: Clear and mature style of writing, demonstrating an understanding of the communication requirements of the Government of Kenya.

Note: Applicant must be Kenyan.