National Consultant on Strengthening Maternal And Child Health Services

Call for Expressions of Interest

#054 - Job Title: The National Consultant on strengthening maternal and child health services especially at the disadvantaged areas

1. Background:

The proposed consultancy will work closely with the linked programmes supported by WHO, of the UHC (Universal health coverage) and HLE (Healthy Lifestyle and Environment) from 15 November 2021 to 30 October 2022.

Within the UHC programme, WHO is supporting the maternal and child health programme to improve the coverage and quality of health services, with the priority to the disadvantage areas in order to help reduce maternal and child mortalities and close the gap between remote and other areas.

Recently, the Russian Federation government is providing financial support through WHO to four countries, including Viet Nam, to help countries develop best practices and lessons learned on improving maternal and paediatrics quality of care. The initiative incorporates quality of care interventions and health systems strengthening in order to improve the entire spectrum of maternal, newborn and child health care and services in four selected countries. The interventions will also integrate a package of health promotion, prevention of NCDs, screening, diagnosis, and management of NCDs to ensure quality maternal, newborn and paediatric care.

The planned timeline of this consultation is from 15 November 2021 till 30 October 2022. Given the biennial cycle of WHO programme budget and workplans, 2 contracts will be issued to the same selected candidate under this ToR. The first contract should be completed by 30 December 2021, and the second contract will be completed by 30 October 2022.

2. Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

Two contracts will be issued

1st contract: from 15 November 2021 to 30 December 2021
2nd contract: from 1 January 2022 to 30 October 2022

3. Work to be performed

Purpose of the consultancy

To provide technical support to the WHO country office in support to the Government of Viet Nam in strengthening maternal and child health services especially at the disadvantaged areas.

Method(s) to carry out the activity

Under the guidance and supervision of the Coordinator, UHC-HLE Team and the WHO Representative, Viet Nam and in close collaboration with Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour Invalid and Social Affairs, and other partners, the consultant will provide technical assistance in the areas of maternal and child health as described under outputs. Besides, the consultant will support other duties related to healthy lifestyle and environment, upon agreement with the HLE team at the WHO Representative Office for Viet Nam.

Output/s

Output 1: Technical support for the baseline assessment including pilot of project
- Deliverable 1: Technical inputs provided to the assessment methodology and tools development. Field monitoring for pilot is conducted (by end of December 2022).
- Deliverable 2: Supervisions for data collection are conducted. Technical inputs are provided to the development and finalization of the baseline assessment report. (by end of March 2022).
Output 2: Technical support for the development of indicators and reporting template for Russian project, updating the reproductive health reporting system with quality indicators and capacity building for provinces in reporting.
- Deliverable 3: the indicators and reporting template of project are developed, reproductive health reporting system is updated (by end of March 2022).
- Deliverable 4: Trainings on reporting are completed and Technical support for reporting is provided virtually and onsite (by end of July 2022).
Output 3: Technical support in delivering training courses on maternal health care, EENC/KMC and childcare and monitoring of the implementations.
- Deliverable 5: Training courses on maternal, newborn and childcare are delivered in project provinces and monitoring is conducted as planned (by end of July 2022). Monitoring is provided regularly online and onsite.
Output 4: Technical inputs for the development of implementation guidelines on NCDs prevention, early screening, and management for pregnancies and children.
- Deliverable 6: Implementation guidelines on NCDs prevention, early screening, and management for pregnancies and children developed (by end of October 2022).

4. Specific requirements

Qualifications required:

Essential: University degree in relevant areas including medicine, nursing or public health from a recognized university
Desirable: Postgraduate degree in relevant areas including public health or health science from a recognized university.

Experience required:

At least 5 years of working experience in public health, with experiences in child health, injury prevention, NCD risk factors.

Desirable:

Working experiences in health sector and with international agencies/UN partners is desirable.
Working experiences in supervision and monitoring public health interventions
Working experiences in public health policy advocacy

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

Knowledge and basic skills in data analysis, planning, monitoring and evaluation of public health interventions and in the development of locally adapted tools and instruments.
Ability to interact with health and other professionals at various levels and to work with government officials and nongovernmental organizations.

Language requirements: Excellent knowledge of spoken and written English and Vietnamese.

Competencies

Communication
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Ability to demonstrate gender equality and cultural appropriateness within the office and among partners.
Producing results

5. Place of assignment

WHO Country Office in Hanoi, Viet Nam

6. Medical clearance

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

7. Travel

The Consultant may be expected to undertake travel (mission) as part of this assignment. Any travel will follow the appropriate WHO rules and regulations for travel and be arranged by WHO. All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance.

Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

8. Budget

Please take note of the following when submitting application: