ROSTER - Health Information System (HIS) - Consultants

Contract

This is a No grade contract. More about No grade contracts.

Objectives of the WHO AFRO Health Information Systems Programme

The objective of the WHO AFRO HIS team is to improve the availability, timeliness, quality and use of health data through:

1. Provision of technical support and training to the Member States for strengthening systems and capacities for generation, storage, transmission, analysis, communication and use of health data from all key sources, including RHIS, CRVS, household surveys, facility assessment, IDSR, research and administrative records.
2. Development and promotion of regional tools, norms, standards and guides for generation, storage, transmission, analysis, communication and use of health data.
3. Articulating evidence-based options for enhancing investments in health information system.
4. Supporting countries to monitor and assess the functionality of health information systems and develop plans for their improvement.
5. Convening coordinating and aligning multiple partners and their investments around country priorities for health information systems.

Support the Member States to monitor and track health situation and trends, including the review of progress and performance of health sector and health programme-specific strategic plans.

Areas of expertise

(Note: This is a generic description of areas of expertise developed for a roster of consultants/experts. The final terms of the reference for the assignment/contract will be based on the actual requirements of the assignment.)

The Health Information System (HIS) Consultants’ areas of expertise being sought include:

1. Health information system strategic plans and Polices development
2. Routine health information system
3. Software development, deployment and monitoring (Comprehensive facility wide electronic Systems (EHRS), District Health Information Software version 2 (DHIS 2)
4. Civil registration and vital statistics system
5. Monitoring and Evaluation
6. Health facility and Household Surveys
7. Design of data collection tools and methodologies
8. Data quality and system assessment.

Purpose of consultancy

a) Health information system strategic plans and Polices development

• Support countries to elaborate HIS and health sector strategic plans and policies, together with the operational plans and costing.
• Support countries to develop data architecture framework
• Support the WHO Regional Office to develop materials that can be included in the curriculum for training health workers on health information systems.

b) Routine health information system consultants

• Support countries to develop or harmonize routine data collection tools and ensure their alignment with international standards
• Support the WHO Regional office to develop a step-by-step guide for analysis of facility data.
• Train health workers in countries on analysis of facility data.
• Support development of data analysis methodologies, presentation, and visualization tools at the different levels of the health system

c) Software development, deployment and monitoring (Comprehensive facility wide electronic Systems (EHRS), District Health Information Software version 2 (DHIS 2)

• Support countries to optimize their DHIS2, including its deployment to facility level and ensuring its interoperability with other systems.
• Support the WHO Regional Office to develop and deploy digital tools that are based on international standards such as the WHO Family of International Classifications

d) Civil registration and vital statistics systems

• Support countries to implement medical certification and coding of cause of death, and verbal autopsy
• Support Countries in development of roadmaps for adoption and implementation of International Classification of Diseases version 11, International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI) and international Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)
• Support countries carry out mortality surveillance, including the implementation of medical certification of cause of death, verbal autopsy and eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD 11).

• Support the WHO Regional Office to develop relevant strategic plans, policies and frameworks for improving the availability, quality and use of mortality data.

  e) Monitoring and Evaluation Consultants

• Support countries to develop monitoring and evaluation frameworks for health information system and for the health sector.

• Support the WHO Regional Office to develop a compendium of indicators along the life course.
• Support countries to conduct analysis of health data to assess the progress and performance of HIS and health sector strategic plans and policies, and develop analytical profiles
• Support the WHO regional Office to develop step-by-step guides implementing HIS and health sector performance reviews.

f) Facility assessment and Household Surveys

• Support countries to implement facility assessment surveys, with specific focus on harmonized health facility assessments.
• Support the development and the updating of GIS-based master facility list.
• Support countries to implement household surveys, with specific focus on World Health Survey Plus.

• Support the WHO Regional Office for Africa to harmonize the tools and processes for household survey tools.

  g) Design of data collection tools and methodologies

• Support the WHO Regional office for Africa to develop a tools/questionnaires and processes for assessing the availability, functionality, and performance of the health information systems

• Support the WHO Regional office for Africa to develop “do-it-yourself” tools, especially for health care facilities, to collect, analyses and use data

h) Data quality and system assessment Consultants

• Support countries to conduct an assessment of availability, functionality and performance of health information systems
• Support countries to conduct reviews of data quality.

Background

To monitor its progress and performance, including monitoring of its 13th General Program of Work (GPW 13), the World Health Organization (WHO) relies heavily on data generated by the national health information systems (NHIS) of the Member States. A strong NHIS with capacity to generate reliable good quality data in a timely manner is therefore of great interest to WHO as it is to the Member States.

As the strength of the national HIS and availability, quality and timeliness of their data have direct implications on the reports that WHO produces; WHO has out in place plans to do more to support the countries to strengthen their NHIS. To achieve this, the leadership of WHO in the African Region (AFRO) established the Health Information System unit.

The overall objective of the HIS Programme is to support Member States in the WHO African Region to improve the availability, quality, and use of health data for planning and provision of services towards Universal Health Care through the strengthening of their health information systems. The Programme achieves this by developing and promoting regional tools, norms, standards and guides for the generation, transmission, storage and use of health data with the view of reducing fragmentation of the national health information system, and reducing the burden and cost for their collection and reporting It convenes, coordinates, and aligns multiple partners and their investments around country priorities for health information systems; and articulates evidence-based options for improving the availability and quality of health data, and transparency in data sharing in countries

To effectively perform its mission, the HIS programme aims to constitute a pool of consultants to provide technical expertise related to programme areas of focus at regional and country levels.

Deliverables

• M&E frameworks and Strategic plans.
• The Survey Plan and Budget, including timetable is finalized and shared with all stakeholders.
• Survey supplies are procured and distributed in time for training and data collection, Survey Implementation reports, data analysis reports.
• Customization of Ministry of Health reporting tools to the DHIS2(District Health information Software, Facility wide electronic tools).
• Formats of consolidated and organizing data.
• Data Quality and system assessment reports.
• Tools, standards, and guides for CRVS system.
• Electronic tools for collection and reporting of death and cause of death data; mortality surveillance, including rapid mortality surveillance and mortality surveillance through sentinel sites.
• Standard tools and approaches for reporting of births, death, and cause of death.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

“Experts”: (B & C Band levels / P4 -P5)

At least a Master’s level university degree in Public Health, Statistics, Biostatistics, Social Sciences, Demography, Epidemiology health informatics information technology, Computer Science, Health Systems strengthening, Health Information Systems or any other related Fields.

“Specialists”: (A & B Band levels / P2-P3)

First university degree in Public Health, Statistics, Biostatistics, Social Sciences, Demography, Epidemiology health informatics information technology, Computer Science, Health Systems strengthening, Health Information Systems or any other related Fields.

Desirable: Any additional education or training in a field related to the tasks would be an asset.

Experience:

Essential:

“Experts”: (B & C Band levels / P4 -P5)

At least 7 – 10 years’ experience at the national and international levels in health information systems related field.

“Specialists”: (A & B Band levels / P2-P3)

At least 5 years’ experience for at the national and international levels in health information systems related field.

Desirable: Any additional experience related to the field would be an asset in undertaking the duties including excellent drafting skills.

Skills/Knowledge:

WHO Competencies

• Producing results.
• Teamwork.
• Communication.
• Moving forward in a changing environment.
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences.

Functional Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated technical knowledge and skills in HIS complemented by sound knowledge of information and knowledge management, the application of modern technologies and innovations preferably in the context of capacity building, and/or health systems, and excellent skills in training in health information systems.
• Proven ability to promote consensus, communicate progress and results, and take remedial action in a proactive manner, while ensuring effective work practices and ethics, as well as to conduct resource mobilization activities, preferably in the context of capacity building, and/or health systems.

Languages:

Essential: Expert knowledge of English or French.

Desirable: Knowledge of Portuguese would be an asset.

Other Skills:

Excellent knowledge of MS Office applications and computer skills including the ability to make high quality technical presentations and data analysis.

Location:

On-site (on WHO premises: Regional Office or WHO Member States) or Off-site (Home based or any location, but not on WHO premises).

Travel

Travel where expected will be subject to WHO rules, and regulations related to the travel and the country of assignment applicable rates.

Additional information

The purpose of this VN is to invite qualified professionals with relevant expertise as per the band levels A/B/C/D for inclusion in a roster of experts for possible short-term assignments which may arise from time to time at the WHO Regional Office for Africa.

The grade of the position will be fixed based on the level of responsibilities and complexity of tasks assigned as reflected in the terms of reference.

Please note applications should be submitted through WHO's online recruitment portal. Please visit www.who.int/careers to complete an online profile and to apply to this vacancy.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• If your candidature is retained, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.