Individual Consultancy: PMTCT path to elimination pre assessment, Maputo, Mozambique, 3 months

Maputo

Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
Location: Maputo
Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
- HIV and AIDS
- Sexual and reproductive health
Closing Date: Closed

Conduct consultancy on pre-assessment of the path to elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and Hepatitis B

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 smile

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of Activity/Assignment: Conduct consultancy on pre-assessment of the path to elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and Hepatitis B.

Scope of Work:

 Desk review to identify gaps and assess country’s situation. Consult will use existing policies, guidelines and mid-year reports.

 Interviews with key stakeholders to fill in the templates as per WHO/UNICEF guidelines on path to elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B.

Activities and Tasks:

The consultancy will encompass the following key activities.

 Desk review and interviews to identify significant changes to the health system pertaining particularly to EMTCT and provide additional information on relevant and specific areas reviewed, including:

o Programme

 Any changes that have occurred related to

 policies, plans and strategies.

 guidelines

 laws or regulations and their implementation

 service delivery and access

o Data / M&E systems

 Describe any changes in the functioning of the surveillance and monitoring systems since the last review.

 Complete ‘Template A’ data table.

o Laboratory

 Summarize the types of tests used for HIV, syphilis, and HBV and the schedule for maternal testing at ANC (and postpartum, if relevant) and infant testing after delivery, if different from last report.

 Briefly describe the EQA programme and any additional in-country proficiency testing or lab quality assurance which is done, including for POC rapid testing.

 Complete ‘Template B’ with EQA results over the period of maintenance

o Human rights, gender equality and community engagement

 Summarize and confirm continued compliance with all human rights and gender equality requirements, and describe any relevant changes to laws, policies or practice;

 Describe meaningful engagement of civil society and communities of women living with HIV/HBV in EMTCT program implementation and preparation for maintenance of validation reviews and summarize relevant feedback.

 Describe changes (facilitators and/or greater barriers) to access to health services for at-risk/vulnerable and other populations, particularly for migrant/refugee populations.

Potential risks to sustaining EMTCT

 Describe potential and actual impact from natural disasters, pandemics/disease outbreaks (including COVID-19), civil conflicts or refugee/migrant influxes, or government policy or budget changes that may have affected the context of provision of services or achievement of targets.

Describe any country responses to alleviate the effects of the potential or actual risks to MTCT service provision and EMTCT indicators.

The consult should work in coordination with other relevant sectors apart from health, including their ministries.

Deliverables

 Inception report

 Templates from the EMTCT guidance completed.

Final report with recommendations

Work Assignments Overview

Desk review

Deliverables/Outputs

Inception report

Timeline

First 15 days

Estimate Budget

25%

Work Assignments Overview

Document

Deliverables/Outputs

All annexes translated and filled in

Timeline

1 month

Estimate Budget

45%

Work Assignments Overview

Final report in Portuguese

Deliverables/Outputs

Final report with recommendation and way forward

Timeline

within 2 weeks of feedback

Estimate Budget

30%

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

An advanced university degree, Master’s in
*Medicine or public health related discipline

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

- At least 5 years of relevant minimum work experience in public health, with demonstrated experience / expertise to develop training packages are strongly preferred.

- Experience /knowledge of any African context or Mozambique health system and stakeholders is desirable

- Specific knowledge, competencies, and skills required: Excellent communication skills both verbal and written

- Excellent skills in developing and cultivating a network for learning

- Language skills: To be able to communicate in Portuguese or Spanish. Fluent in written Portuguese is strongly preferred

Consultants should stipulate all-inclusive fees, including lump sum travel and subsistence costs, as applicable.

Download File Annex 3 - PMTCT path to elimantion pre-assessment.pdf

For every Child, you demonstrate…

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

 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.

This vacancy is now closed.