Technical assistance to UNICEF supported districts to strengthen capacity of Districts and Health Facilities to institutionalize MPDSR linked to establishment of simulation centres in 10 Hos

Contract

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UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a fair chance

Uganda is one of the over 190 countries and territories around the world where we work to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease, and discrimination place in a child’s path. Together with the Government of Uganda and partners we work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the objectives of the Uganda National Development Plan, and the planned outcomes of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Visit this link for more information on Uganda Country Office https://www.unicef.org/uganda/

How can you make a difference?

Background: Improvement in maternal and new-born health indicators have varied over the last decade. In 2019, the Annual Health Sector Report (2018/19) showed that 42 and 62 per cent of pregnant mothers attended 4th Antenatal care (ANC) visits and delivered in Health Facilities compared to 38 and 60 percent in 2017/2018 respectively. Due to the emergence of the COVID pandemic in 2020, these indicators either stagnated or dropped (AHSPR 2019/20). Whilst there seem to be some improvements in the RMNCAH coverage indicators, morbidity and mortality among pregnant women and the new-borns remains unacceptably high. In the last decade, Neonatal Mortality stagnated at 27 per 1000 live births (UDHS 2016) while maternal mortality rate remains high at 368 per 100,000 live births. Many of these deaths happen after reaching facilities.

The quality of maternal and new-born care in Uganda remains poor at all levels of the health care system from Health Center III to tertiary hospitals. In 2017, the Ministry of Health adapted the WHO Maternal New-born Child Health (MNCH) Quality of Care standards to address issues around quality resulting in mortality and morbidity among pregnant mothers and their new borns. The WHO QoC standards focus on enhancing the provision and experience of care in the Health Facilities. Despite the implementation of these standards, many of the health facilities/institutions continue to function below the expected standards due to health systems challenges such as lack of critical human resources, equipment and inadequate capacity and data management and use among others.

Linked to quality of care, in 2017 the Ministry of health adapted the WHO MPDSR guidelines and rolled them to all the districts as a key tool for improving quality. The MPDSR system emphasizes continuous identification and reporting of maternal/perinatal deaths including zero deaths and linking that information to quality improvement (QI) processes. The national Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) annual report 2019/2020 showed an annual improvement in the reviews of maternal death from 51% (2018/19) to 66% (2019/20) achieving the HSDP target of 65%. Perinatal death reviews on the other hand have significantly lagged behind, with marginal improvement recorded between 2018 and 2020 from 2.9% (FY 2017/18) to 3.6 (FY 18/19) and 10% in FY 2019/20, far below the HSDP annual target (65%).

The MPDSR system engages various stakeholders in planning for services that are aimed to improve the quality of care for maternal and new-born health allowing for joint learning from every maternal and perinatal death to identify feasible means to prevent avoidable similar deaths in future thus subsequently improving the quality of care in service delivery. Monitoring of implementation of MPDSR and recommendations recommendation therein remains a challenge across the country affecting assessment of results of this process.

To address skills gaps among health workers and scale up training in RMNCAH, in 2018 the MoH developed guidelines for establishing skills labs and simulation centres. Skills labs and simulation centres are specifically equipped training facilities comprised of skills stations where trainees learn through practicing skills on mannequins, simulation exercises, demonstration videos and presentations. The rationale for establishing simulation centres in Uganda include 1) failure by health providers to correctly diagnose common conditions due to lack of practice 2) the low knowledge and skills in MNH 3) lack of adequate opportunities by health providers to build their confidence.

UNICEF with funding from SIDA, is working in partnership with the MOH, district local governments and implementing partners such as Baylor, CUAMM and AVSI, to strengthen the capacity of the health system to deliver an integrated package of Reproductive Maternal New-born Child Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAHN) inclusive of HIV, and Nutrition using Health System Strengthening and Quality Improvement (QI) approaches. Additional efforts are geared towards supporting facilities to implement the WHO QOC standards for mothers, new-borns and children, and support the application of learning from MPDSR.

The programme aims to strengthen the continuum of care for maternal, new-born and child health with emphasis on three result areas including.

1. Increase availability and service readiness of Essential Maternal New-born Child Health Services (Emergency Obstetric and New-born Care, Ante Natal Care, Deliveries, Post Natal Care, Integrated Community Case Management) at the facility and community levels in priority districts
2. Increase utilization of quality maternal, new-born child health services, including emergency obstetric and new-born care at the community and referral facility levels
3. Increase community awareness, demand and acceptance of lifesaving MNH interventions through innovative approaches for MNCH services.

To strengthen MPDSR and capacity building approach, at District, HCIVs and hospitals, UNICEF plans to recruit an expert on quality improvement on consultancy terms to support Ministry of Health, targeted Hospitals and districts to support the institutionalization of MPDSR monitoring and setting up of simulation centres as learning platform linked to MPDSR and implementation of MNCH quality improvement standards as outlined in the tasks below.

Purpose of the assignment: The consultancy will support the review and harmonize quality of care tools and training materials, assist with the rollout of the MPDSR monitoring tool, in 10 Hospitals namely; Adjumani, Moyo, Yumbe, Koboko, Maracha, Nebbi, Arua Regional Referral Hospital and Angal in West Nile; Moroto regional referral in Karamoja and Bwera in Kasese. Additionally, the consultant will support the establishment simulation centres in the hospitals listed above.

The assignment involves the following:

Overall objectives: The consultant will closely work with MoH, District Local Governments, UNICEF MNH Specialists, UNICEF Zone office health teams, implementing partners (IPs) and Hospital authorities to:

1. Review the quality improvement processes in selected sites and support the implementation of the MPDSR monitoring tool in 10 Hospitals in West Nile, Western Region and Karamoja

2. Build capacity of the district MPDSR focal persons, health workers in the hospitals and implementing partners (Baylor, AVSI and CUAAM) on use of the MPDSR monitoring tool and

3. Set up of simulation centres. This will include:i) Identification and organization of space, ii) Develop simulation schedules/ training plan and iii) Develop documentation tools in the 10 hospitals (Adjumani, Moyo, Yumbe, Koboko, Maracha, Nebbi, Arua Regional Referral Hospital and Angal in West Nile; Moroto regional referral in Karamoja and Bwera in Kasese.). Some of the training materials (birth simulators, mama natalies and premiee natalies) were procured by UNICEF and distributed to the hospitals ready for set up

4. Support the identification of training of trainers to support the simulation centres and provide onsite capacity building/ orientation and hands on training and mentorship.

5. Monitor and document progress; sharing of learning, from implementation of the MPDSR tool and simulation centres for dissemination at national level and publication.

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

The selected Consultant should have:

Education:

• An advanced university degree required in Public Health, Pediatric Health, Obstetric health, Global International Health, and other additional trainings in quality assurance, health system strengthening and management as an added advantage
• First university degree required in relevant areas of medicine, nursing, public health, midwifery and other additional trainings in quality assurance, health system strengthening and management as an added advantage

Work experience:

• More than 5 years of professional experience working in public health and or related field, including the development of strategies, program management and QI approaches in clinical setting
• Experience in supporting and coordinating project activities across a large organization and with other international partner organizations.
• Experience in data collection, analysis, and monitoring and evaluation.
• Experience working with the national and district local governments in Uganda, and a strong understanding of the health system
• Proven ability to manage relationships with UNICEF partners, including UN organizations, NGOs and the private sector
• Proven skills in communication, networking, strategic thinking, advocacy and fundraising
• Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas as well as to transfer knowledge and skills.
• Strong writing and communication skills and the aptitude to handle competing messages and priorities with multiple audiences
• Ability to travel and work in remote locations.

Competencies:

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexities
• Planning and organizing
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts
• Analysing
• Relating and networking
• Deciding and Initiating action
• Applying technical expertise

Language:

• Fluency in English.

Application Procedure/Call for Proposals

Interested candidates are required to submit a technical proposal on how they intend to approach the work. The proposal should include a timeline, and methodology, based on the Terms of Reference. The proposal must also include detailed CV of the consultant, as well as a financial proposal, clearly indicating daily rate for professional fees. The financial proposal must be all-inclusive of all costs (consultancy fees and where applicable air fares, airport transfers, daily living expenses). This is an international level consultancy and competitive market rates should apply.

Evaluation of Candidate:

The consultant will be competitively selected from a list of applicants based on their past experience of doing similar work (extensive experience in writing donor reports, in compiling and editing annual reports for various UNICEF offices).

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The competencies required for this post are….

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.