Public Health Officer-Resilient Systems Strengthening for Health

Medical & Health

1. Area of expertise :

A Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health (RSSH) ATM program Managers, consultant(s).

2. Purpose of consultancy :

The Consultant(s) is required to have expertise in at least one of the intervention areas listed below in order to provide the targeted support Sierra Leone requires. In addition, experience in contextualizing these health system pillars within or complementing the ATM programmes is required.

· Health product management, supply chain and systems strengthening

· Laboratory systems

· Health management information systems and monitoring and evaluation – including digitization

· Health sector governance and planning

· Integrated service delivery and quality of care (ex. RMNCAH: malaria prevention in pregnancy – IPTp and ITNs, diagnosis and treatment)

· Community systems strengthening to support community responses

· Emergency/Pandemic preparedness and response (prevention, detection and response)z

· This transversal component brings together the following different areas:

· Planning, direction and governance of the health sector

· Health product management systems

· Strengthening laboratory systems

· Oxygen therapy and respiratory care systems

· Community systems and responses

· Other cross-cutting considerations: private sector involvement

The Consultant will be expected to carry out the following tasks to meet the above-mentioned objectives:

• Strengthen the supply chain to ensure that medicines, laboratory services and health products are available when and where they are needed.

• Facilitate the quantification, technical specification and procurement process of Equipment for Regulatory/Quality Assurance

• Provide technical support to monitor and facilitate the implementation of the GC6 for RSSH and ATM activities, by conducting programme reviews and technical missions, facilitating capacity-building activities, collecting and analyzing programmatic and surveillance data, designing and supporting programmatic operational research, as well as preparing documents for various purposes including policy recommendations, technical communications, advocacy materials, donor proposals and reports;

• Provide strategic and technical support on assessing the epidemiological and programmatic situation, designing, and implementing interventions, and mobilizing resources for effective implementation of the priority activities, in particular from the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis Malaria and RSSH

• Strengthen partnerships between different sectors and harmonization and integration of GC6 diseases programmes with overall health systems strengthening strategies and interventions so that programs and services are sustainable and can reach more people

• Strengthen community systems and community-led programs and help integrate them into health systems.

• Strengthen the creation and use of health data at all levels so that Sierra Leone and communities can make decisions based on the latest evidence.

• Strengthen collaboration with international technical and funding partners including technical institutions, financial institutions and bilateral donors as well as for facilitating the timely Mobilization of more multisectoral opportunities to improve the scope, quality and affordability of services

.

The consultant(s) will propose a detailed methodology to be applied which will then be discussed and validated. However, the following steps should be taken into account, namely:

• Implementation of a roadmap for the RSSH

• Documentary review

• Data collection

• Processing, analysis and interpretation of the data collected

• Production and presentation to the technical committee of the methodological plan

3. Background

The World Health Organization and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria collaborate to implement strategic initiatives to accelerate the end of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics and strengthen systems for health. The partnership aims to address some of the persistent challenges that impede progress against the three diseases and protect hard-won gains from new pandemics like COVID-19. WHO and the Global Fund have a long and successful partnership working together to scale up HIV, TB and malaria interventions and strengthen health systems in many countries. Through focused efforts and catalytic investments, this collaboration has contributed to significantly reduce the disease burdens of HIV, TB and malaria worldwide, saving millions of lives since 2002.

Sierra Leone receives support from both the World Health Organization and the Global Fund. Based on the Global Fund Board’s decision in November 2022 the 2023-2025 allocation period, Sierra Leone has been allocated US$126,444,674 for HIV, tuberculosis (TB), malaria and building resilient and sustainable systems for health (RSSH). The RSSH grant was integrated into the disease components (HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria for the period July 2021-June 2024. The RSSH grant is implemented by the Principal Recipients –Ministry of Health.

To mitigate the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria, and initiate urgent improvements in formal and community health systems Sierra Leone has benefitted from Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) since April 2021. As the pandemic evolves and countries transition from an emergency response, the C19RM funding continues supporting RSSH and pandemic preparedness with an extension to 30 June 2024 and through C19RM Portfolio Optimization for implementation through to 31 December 2025.

To increase and to sustain the implementation of activities under the NFM3/GC6, the Ministry of Health as the main PR has invited WHO and other agencies in Sierra Leone with the comparative advantage to support the country to maintain the tempo for implementation.

4. Deliverables:

Specific Deliverables and Activities:

Under the coordination of WHO, MOH and CCM, the consultant(s) will have to carry out as main deliverables:

Key Deliverables:

To be determined based on the specific assignment up to June 2024 with possible examples:

· Inception Report on how the objectives of the Consultancy would be achieved.

· GC6 including RSSH components of a Global Fund funding that can be implemented within the required period June 2024

· Updated operational plan on how to support the Pharmacy Council to implement their key priority activities with GF funding

· Updated operational plan on how to support the implementation of prioritised activities under GC 6

Final report to WHO/MOH/CCM analyzing support provided including recommendations for improving future support to Sierra Leone.

5. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Esential:

• Clinical Degree (pharmacy) from a recognized university and or with postgraduate degree or equivalent in public health, epidemiology and/or social sciences or any other relevant field.

• Desirable:

• A senior expert with extensive broad-based experience of working in pharmacy, public health, epidemiology, medicine or statistics and health systems.

Work experience:

**Essential****:

• Minimum of 8 years’ experience working on multilateral grants including experience with the Global Fund for RSSH, TB, HIV and malaria control at subnational, national and international level in developing countries .

• At least 10 years of combined working experience with national Ministry of Health in programme management especially with pharmaceutical services either in international settings working with UN and/or international NGOs, bilateral or multilateral agencies

Desirable:

· Good knowledge and experience in health systems strengthening in a resource challenged environments

· Practical experience in programme implementation and review

· Good understanding of other global multilateral funding platforms for heath and ATM programmes

Skills/Knowledge:

· The consultant shall have extensive background in WHO mandate in public health, policies and strategies and supporting Member States in implementation of health strategies.

· He or she will be well conversant with WHO norms, standards and guidelines in the area of medical product quality, safety and efficacy.

· The consultant shall be conversant with the Microsoft Office software, programmes or applications and must have in his possession equipment, such as computer, mobile phone, internet connectivity and other technical means needed for the successful delivery of this consultancy.

· Writing, communication skills and special expertise in preparing documents and writing for WHO with evidence of persuasive writing skills

· Ability to work in a multicultural environment

· Excellent written communication skills, including

· Excellent analytical skills and ability to effectively collect, analyse, organize, distil, and present information

· Good understanding of the global health challenges and responses for low resource settings .

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

· Essential: Expert knowledge of English

6. Location:

c/o World Health Organization, Sierra Leone, 21 A&B Riverside Drive, off King Harman Road

P.O. Box 529 Brookfields, Freetown, Sierra Leone

7. Travel

The consultant will travel to Freetown, Sierra Leone, and return on the 18th March 2024 and return 30th June 2024 for consultancy purpose.

8. Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

The duration of this consultancy is up to 30th June 2024. Remuneration will be at applicable fees as per the World Health Organization scale of Consultant at Band level C.

a. Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited: DSA USD.

b. Expected duration of contract (Maximum contract duration is 11 months per calendar year): 3.5 Months.

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Added 1 month ago - Updated 27 days ago - Source: who.int