Senior Expert for Digital Health Strategy Development

1. Purpose of consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to develop national digital health strategy and action plan for Jordan, including costed roadmap, monitoring and evaluation indicators for implementation of the strategy for first two years (2022-2023).

2. Background

WHO released the Global Strategy on Digital Health (GSDH) that was endorsed by the Seventy-third World Health Assembly in decision WHA73(28) (2020), The strategy underscores the recognized potential support of digital technologies for patient-centred care and Universal Health Coverage (UHC), including health promotion, protection, treatment, diagnosis, rehabilitation and palliative care without financial burden on the individuals, families and communities. Within the scope of implementing the GSDH, countries are encouraged to develop their own national digital health (DH) strategies and related action plans. Such strategy would support sustainable impact-driven developments that address national and subnational health priorities. This is aligned with WHO’s three billion targets and people-centred approaches including, UHC commitments, referred to in the GSDH.

Some countries in EMR have developed national strategies. However, most of them are facing implementation impediments like socio-economic disparities, conflicts, and population displacements on top of technological, financial, legal, ethical, and cultural challenges. The World Health Organization / Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO/EMRO) in partnership with the International Telecommunications Union / Arab States Bureau (ITU) agreed to provide support for countries of the region to develop their own national strategies and action plans for digital health and facilitate implementing them. Jordan was selected to be the first country to receive such support, representing middle income countries that have public and national commitment for digital transformation in the healthcare and digital economy sectors, among different public sectors.

Jordan has endorsed digital health, as a method to improve health care services, over the last two decades, via different initiatives supported by Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship. To promote digitalization, the Ministry of Health has started adopting electronic systems for data management as per the national vision and strategy for 2025. The Hakeem programme was launched in 2009 to enable the implementation of electronic medical records (EMR). The private sector, UNRWA health care services, some NGO- hospitals and few MOH hospitals rely on their own electronic systems for Electronic Medical Records (EMR). This fragmentation has adverse impact on interoperability and sustainability of services.

Development of a national digital health strategy and action plan in Jordan may help in bringing different players to build consensus on strategic solutions to address challenges and mitigate impediments for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UHC objectives.

**Deliverables

Output 1: Comprehensive mapping of current digital health initiatives and stakeholders in the country.**

Deliverable 1.1: A situation analysis report that would include:

• Conduct in depth documentation of the current situation of digital health (DH) in Jordan, including initiatives, stakeholders, priorities, needs, challenges, and possible solutions
• Establish a comprehensive list of digital health stakeholders in Jordan, with a brief on their anticipated roles in supporting digital health and ministry of health data repository
• Guide the identified stakeholders on the process and do close follow up to ensure continues motivation and engagements. .

Output 2: Coordination of drafting activities for the national strategy and action plan for long term evidence-based, people-centered investments to address national health priorities

Deliverable 2.1: Draft national strategy and action plan

This would be based on outcomes of different preparatory activities, including situation analysis, needs assessment, national stakeholder workshop, coordination with different stakeholders. This would also include:

• Development of workshop material, in coordination with WHO/EMRO and ITU/Arab States (e.g. concept note, agenda, background material, etc.)
• Draft the workshop report
• Coordinate drafting the national digital health strategy and action plan
• Propose monitoring and evaluation indicators, to assess progress with endorsement, dissemination and implementation of the strategy and action plan
• Propose platform for monitoring progress and govern periodic adjustments based on feedback and/or situation changes.
• Finalize the strategy (based on stakeholder feedback), endorsement, and its dissemination

3. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Minimum first university degree for lower end of range, an advanced university degree for mid and high end of range in Information Technology, Health Informatics, Digital Health, Computer Sciences, or related sciences

Experience

• 5 to 10 years of professional experience in digital health/e-health, knowledge management.
• Experience working with WHO (or other UN agency) at country, regional and/or HQ levels

Skills/Technical skills and knowledge:

• Ability to interact with and provide advice to senior level national health authorities
• High level communicating skills

Languages and level required:

English / Arabic (Read – Write – Speak).

4. Location

Remote/ WHO Jordan office.

5. Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

Start date: 15 May 2022

End date: 31 August 2022

6. Medical clearance

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

7. Travel

The Consultant is not expected to travel to Jordan.

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, 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.
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