local Consultants: Consultant to assess the quality of pmtct services - 6 monthsUnicef

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
UNICEF has been an active partner of the Government of the Philippines and civil society in realizing the rights of every Filipino child, in line with priorities to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. UNICEF efforts have been focused on the most vulnerable regions identified by the Government of the Philippines Development Plan, particularly in the regions of Visayas and Mindanao. To ensure that interventions are sustainable and scaled up, UNICEF will support primarily local government units (LGUs) as the main instruments of delivering services and building systems. The level of engagement with government institutions will take into account capacities, economies of scale and sector issues.
It has a field office in Cotabato City, the second largest city in Mindanao, southern Philippines, with some 300,000 population. The city is the regional administrative centre of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and over 80 percent of the population is Muslim. Mindanao is both conflict-affected and prone to frequent earthquakes and typhoon storms.
Visit this link for more information on Philippine Country Office:
How can you make a difference
- The consultant to be hired is expected to assist and work closely with the Adolescent Health and HIV specialist and the Health and Nutrition Specialist of UNICEF, support and coordinate with the government counterparts at the DOH and CHD-NCR, implementing partners, and facility service providers. As part of the Joint Programming on HIV and AIDS, and with the financial support through the Unified Budget and Results Accountability Framework (UBRAF), technical inputs from UNAIDS and the UN Co-sponsors align efforts on the broader HIV and human rights response will be sought.
Scope of Work:
1. Assess the quality and availability of the continuum of HIV care, including the ANC, nutrition, and protection services, among others in select health facilities in the National Capital Region (NCR).
2. Review the impact of COVID-19 on HIV screening and access to MTCT services among pregnant women.
3. Assess the functionality of referral pathways for HIV services for HIV positive women and their children, as well as support services (psychosocial, protection, nutrition, etc), noting that DOH is developing guidelines on the link to services to address intimate partner violence among the key populations.
Hospitals, health clinics, and birthing facilities will be visited for assessment between August and September 2021. HIV treatment hubs, satellite treatment facilities, and DOH-retained hospitals will also be assessed to provide a comprehensive assessment of services being provided across the continuum of health facility levels in the health care provider network.
Work Assignments/Tasks
- Develop a contextualized quality assessment plan of maternal, adolescent health, nutrition and HIV services based on a review of UHC Law, EMTCT Road Map, First 100 Days Law and other relevant national and international guidelines and policies.
- Convene stakeholders from the government, development partners for review of the quality assurance and quality improvement tools, and finalize timeline for the facility assessment in coordination with the CHD NCR.
- Conduct assessment in the facilities using the approved tools, and provide technical support to facilities in relation to quality improvement of integrated PMTCT services within the maternal and adolescent health and nutrition HIV services in select 4 districts of Metro Manila:
a. Capital District
b. Eastern Manila District
c. Northern Manila District
d. Southern Manila District
- Conduct initial presentation of the results of assessment per district and workshop for implementation planning to identify priority areas and actions for quality assurance and quality improvement of integrated maternal, adolescent, nutrition, HIV services and referrals to WCPUs.
- Convene stakeholders from the government and the participating health facilities, Women and Children Protection Unit to present the results of the facility assessment.
- Update the EMTCT Road Map (UNICEF PCO Internal Document) base on the results of assessment exercise, presented for review of H&N and relevant sector.
Deliverables
- Inception report which contains detailed information for the engagement with DOH and CHD NCR, and assessment tools.
- Enhanced QA/QI tools approved by the Department of Health/ CHD and UNICEF.
- Summary of activity report and completed forms for quality assurance and quality improvement per facility.
- Draft comprehensive report with individual power point presentation per facility and completed hospital implementation plans.
- Endorsed final assessment report with recommendations/ identified actions to improve PMTCT programme and copy of completed individual facility implementation plans by DOH/ CHD NCR.
- Updated and camera-print ready PMTCT Roadmap.
Qualifications and Competencies of Successful Consultant
University degree in Medicine required.
Qualifications in public health/nutrition, pediatric health, family health, injury prevention, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, or other health related sciences are added advantages.
Minimum of 2 years of professional experience in public health/health systems strengthening and program management is required.
Experience in strengthening service delivery programs, training, performance and quality improvement and results-based monitoring and evaluation is desired.
Experience in maternal and child health and nutrition programs, clinical training paediatrics, or PMTCT / HIV care management is desired.
Experience in health program/project development in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.
Fluency in English is required.
HOW TO APPLY
Qualified candidates are requested to complete an online candidate profile in by 14 July 2021. Only applications sent through the e-recruitment portal under Job Number: 541641 will be considered.
All candidates are requested to submit a COVER LETTER, and the duly filled P11 Form which can be downloaded from our website at indicating three (3) previous supervisors. Please indicate your area of assignment, ability, availability and daily/monthly rate to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.
Only shortlisted consultants will be contacted.
By applying through our Talent Management System (TMS) you agree to our privacy statement which is in line with the Philippines Data Privacy Act. You are strongly advised to read carefully through the privacy statement before submitting your application.
"UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations, 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."
Advertised: 30 Jun 2021 Singapore Standard Time
Deadline: 14 Jul 2021 Singapore Standard Time
Unicef

Philippines
Permanent
Full-time