UNICEF Zimbabwe is inviting applications for an individual consultant to support in the Revision of The Plan for Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis in Zimbabwe

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

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,equality

UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfillment of children’s rights.

Supporting the Government’s vision of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society, the 2022 to 2026 UNICEF Zimbabwe country programme is aimed at contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development that provides all children, including adolescents, with opportunities to fulfil their potential, lead a healthy life, access quality learning and protection and meaningfully participate in society.

For more information about UNICEF Zimbabwe please click here

You can also access and explore all new UNICEF vacancies and create job alerts via the UNICEF Zimbabwe website link below:

https://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/work-us

How can you make a difference?

UNICEF Zimbabwe is seeking to hire an innovative and enthusiastic individual consultant to support in the Revision of The Plan for Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis in Zimbabwe 2018 – 2022 and Development of the Triple EMTCT Plan for 2023-2026

PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The goal of this assignment is to review and revise the Plan for Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis in Zimbabwe 2018 – 2022 and the development of the Triple EMTCT Plan for 2023-2026.

BACKGROUND

The MOHCC has made progress in the elimination of mother to child transmission (EMTCT) of both HIV and syphilis. Despite this progress, the country has significant work to do before the country can be validated as having attained the gold tier on the path to elimination of both HIV and Syphilis. The process indicators for the gold tier are 95 per cent ANC coverage, 95 per cent HIV/Syphilis testing, and 95 per cent HIV/Syphilis treatment in ANC. The impact indicators for path to elimination for the high prevalence (>/=2% HIV prevalence or >/=1 per cent Syphilis prevalence) breastfeeding countries is less than 5 per cent HIV MTCT rate and infant case rate of <250 per 100 000 live birth for both HIV and Syphilis.

The program is implementing PMTCT interventions based on the United Nations Strategic Framework for Prevention of HIV in infants and children. The four pillars or prongs of the framework are:

1. Primary prevention of HIV infection in women of childbearing age utilizing the combination prevention package (PrEP and PEP included),
2. Prevention of unintended pregnancy in women living with HIV (long- and short-term contraception),
3. Prevention of HIV transmission from mothers to their children and;
4. Treatment, care, and support to women living with HIV, their children, and their families.

The data from the national health information system reported that of the 508,952 expected pregnancies in 2021, 90 per cent (456,805) booked for their first ANC, missing the 95 per cent validation target. The program managed to attain the target for the number of women who came to ANC who knew their HIV status achieving 97 per cent (4,432,935). However, of the 53,438 HIV-positive pregnant and lactating women who were identified, only 87 per cent (47,009) of them received ART missing the validation target by 8 per cent. The program has also noted gaps in retaining HIV positive pregnant and lactating women on ART. ANC syphilis testing and treatment coverage in the same period was 85 per cent and 96 per cent respectively falling short of the 95 per cent targets.

Zimbabwe is a patriarchal society; therefore, it is crucial to involve men in healthcare-related activities. In 2021, male partner testing was 9 per cent against a target of 26 per cent. To address the issue of male partner involvement, the EMTCT program recruited 450 additional male mobilisers (200 male mobilizers were already in post since 2018), developed the service package for males accompanying pregnant and breastfeeding women and developed IEC material focusing on the important role of men in accompanying pregnant and breastfeeding women to the health facility in ANC and post-delivery care.

A robust community health system is essential for promoting demand and uptake of the facility and community-based RMNCAH&N and EMTCT services and follow-up of mother-baby pairs to ensure retention in the PMTCT cascade. The program therefore continues to conduct advocacy and communication activities and continues to engage and collaborate with OVC partners and civil society organizations in implementation of activities. The EMTCT program has been implementing SRHR, HIV, and SGBV Linkages programs together with the Family Health department and implementing partners. However, gaps still exist in integrating EMTCT and RMNCAH and nutrition, including infant and young child feeding. Significant strides have been made in scaling up access to point-of-care technology for Early Infant Diagnosis and Viral Load monitoring but the need to optimize testing on these platforms and fidelity to testing and monitoring algorithms remains essential.

ASSIGNMENTS:

UNICEF, in support of MOHCC, is seeking consultancy services from a mid or senior level consultant with vast experience in Maternal and Newborn Child Health, HIV and related work, to revise of The Plan for Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis in Zimbabwe 2018 – 2022 and Development of the Triple EMTCT Plan for 2023-2026

• To review The Plan for Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and Syphilis in Zimbabwe 2018 – 2022
• To develop the Triple EMTCT Plan for 2023 - 2026
• To incorporate new key developments including triple elimination of HIV, syphilis and Hepatitis B and the Global Alliance to End Pediatric AIDS by 2030

The consultant is required to conduct the following activities;

• Develop an inception report for the methodology of the operational plan review and development of an operational plan
• Pre-meeting with the eMTCT /Paediatric HIV stakeholders: to present an inception report highlighting the consultant’s understanding of the task and a draft road map, approach and tools for review of the current operational plan and for the development of the Triple eMTCT Plan 2023 – 2026
• Conduct a desk review overall assessment of the eMTCT program, including Syphilis and Hepatitis B management through a review of all the relevant documents including policy documents, annual reports, guidelines, plans or study reports.
• Conduct Key informant interviews using structured questionnaires of health workers at different levels of the health delivery system including managers within the MOHCC (AIDS TB Unit, Family Health Department, EPI, Epidemiology and Disease Control), PMDs, DMOs, PNOs, DNO, Focal persons, NAC and implementing partners.
• Conduct site visits to a representative sample of health facilities at different levels of the health delivery system, different geographical regions, mission hospitals and the private sector
• Conduct FGDs/patient interviews to explore the levels of patient satisfaction at the different levels of health care using structured tools.
• Facilitate consulation meetings with stakeholders to validate the review findings and the Triple EMTCT plan including the implementation plan (log frame of activities)
• Finalize the The Plan for Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B in Zimbabwe 2023 – 2026.

Major tasks and deliverables:

Tasks/Milestone:****Deliverables/Outputs

Timeline and payments schedule1. An inception report highlighting the consultant’s understanding of the task and a draft road map for the revision of the EMTCT Plan- Inception report - Plan for data collection - Data collection tools

3 days

15%2. Conduct data collection- Key informant interviews - Focus group discussions - Client Exit interviews - Report of review findings

16 days

30%3. Facilitate validation of findngs meetings and a debrief presentation of main changes/course corrections to the MOHCC and the eMTCT Partnership Forum (PPF)- Draft implementation plan for Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B in Zimbabwe 2023 – 2026

12 days

40%4. The final Plan for Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B in Zimbabwe 2023 – 2026- Final Review report for Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B in Zimbabwe 2023 – 2026

9 days

15%To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education:

Advanced university degree in public health, paediatric/adolescent health, social sciences, epidemiology or related field

Experience:

• An experienced public health practitioner (health trained) of over eight years, with demonstrable in-depth understanding of PMTCT and Pediatric HIV programming and integration of these programs with the other HIV related programs and SRH/MNCH services.
• Prior experience in development of similar documents is an added advantage

Languages

English. Shona and Ndebele will be an added advantage

The detailed consultancy terms of reference is downloadable via this link ToR MOHCC_triple EMTCT.pdf

If interested and available to undertake the individual consultancy, please submit your application online and attach the required documents including the technical proposal and an all-inclusive financial proposal incorporating an approximate travel days for field (local) travel.

Technical proposal: CV, Cover letter and proposal. The Technical Proposal should articulate an understanding of the TOR and include the proposed Tasks/Milestones, Deliverables/Outputs, Timeline and level of effort by deliverable. The similar table provided in the TOR is indicative. Applicants may use the indicative table as a guide or deviate as per the proposed approach. The proposal should also cost-effectively propose the international and/or local travel proposed by the applicant to undertake the assignment.

Financial proposal: To be submitted separately, the Financial Proposal should include the costs (providing a daily rate as justification) for each task, including consultant fee, proposed travel costs and perdiem, communications costs and any other proposed cost.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.