Job ID: 13-9993 Reports To: Senior Technical Manager, Malaria Overview Sub-Saharan Africa still bears over eighty percent (80%) of the global malaria burden, of which Nigeria contributes 27%. Nigeria therefore suffers from the highest malaria burden in the world and it is estimated that 50% of the population will have at least one episode per year Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH) covers the health concerns and interventions involving women before, during and after pregnancy; newborns, that is, the first 28 days of life; and children up to their fifth birthday. Pregnant women have an increased susceptibility to malaria infection, and malaria in pregnancy (MiP) contributes to devastating outcomes for the pregnant woman, her fetus and newborn, including maternal anemia, maternal death, stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, and low birth weight. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), MiP contributes to an estimated 20% of all stillbirths and 11% of all newborn deaths.¹ However, in Nigeria, malaria takes its greatest toll among children under five, responsible for 14% of all deaths. Management Sciences for Health (MSH) is an international non-governmental organization that builds strong health systems that deliver everything it takes—people, money, medicine, information, and facilities—to prevent disease, treat illness, and empower people to lead healthier lives. For more than 45 years in over 150 countries, MSH has worked shoulder to shoulder with our partners to build strong, locally-led, health systems that improve reproductive, maternal and child health; fight infectious disease; and control chronic illness. In Nigeria, MSH is a sub-recipient to Catholic Relief Services (CRS) on the Global Fund Malaria grant from January 2018 to December 2020, and will be supporting the integration of malaria services with RMNCH services. With an integrated MAL-RMNCH strategy, Nigeria may be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal for health (SDG 3.1) target for reduction of maternal mortality to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. With increased actions at all levels, the overall impact on maternal and child health indicators may improve. Purpose and Objectives
The goal of integrating malaria and RMNCH is to leverage existing RMNCH strategies to reach every woman and child with malaria service and care, building on the gains already established by both programmes, achievement of the SDGs and reaching more people with integrated approach.
The proposed strategy aims to achieve the following;
An improved coordination mechanism for integration of malaria services with RMNCH where the reproductive health unit is providing leadership for MiP technical working groups at national and sub-national levels
Improved quality of care by increasing the provision and uptake of MAL-RMNCH preventive and treatment services at health facility and community levels
Improved reproductive health (RH) and child health indicators
To provide technical support to RH national program to be responsible for MAL-RMNCH indicators
Essential to achieving these goals will be efforts to strengthen the provision of information and the delivery of integrated health services for all women, newborns, children and adolescents through ensuring high-quality care across the continuum of care to ensure those most in need have access to high quality services.
As highlighted above the current situation shows a need to strengthen the connections between reproductive health interventions and malaria services at national and sub-national levels and this integration approach hopes to leverage the resources that are being provided in this Global Fund Malaria grant to help improve RMNCH services in general.
Therefore, leveraging available malaria resources that supports improved MIP and child health services will improve overall ANC and child health services.
This will be achieved with training and by improving commodity distribution for other ANC and child health-related commodities such as iron-folate, zinc, antibiotics and the like.
Specific Objectives for the integration:
To increase the provision and uptake of MAL-RMNCH preventive services.
To have key areas for partners coordination and experience sharing regarding similar integration strategies in Nigeria
To galvanize political will and ownership and thereby national funds allocation for increased funding support for integration of MAL-RMNCH
To provide technical support to 13 states in the early phase of implementation of MAL-RMNCH strategy.
To develop framework for operationalizing MAL-RMNCH integration in the 13 Global Fund implementing states
To document experiences and evaluate progress for country-wide roll out of the MAL-RMNCH integration strategy
MSH will be supporting this integration across 13 Global Fund supported states namely; Adamawa, Delta, Gombe, Jigawa, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Katsina, Ogun, Osun, Taraba and Yobe states.
Terms of Reference for Rmnch Consultant
The consultancy is proposed for an initial period of 30 days with possible renewal after satisfactory delivery of expected outcomes.
Deliverables:
To develop an integration framework that will define the scope of the MAL-RMNCH integration
To develop an evaluation protocol and tools for a baseline and endline assessment on the current integration situation across the 13 states in close conjunction with the MSH Nigeria team and MSH home office team
To pilot test all data collection tools, adapt and finalize prior to roll out
To obtain IRB clearance where necessary
Analysis plan: to develop an analysis plan (including dummy tables) prior to analyzing the data in conjunction with MSH Nigeria and MSH home office
To conduct the analysis of findings from the baseline survey
To develop a comprehensive technical report detailing the findings of the baseline assessment in conjunction with MSH Nigeria and MSH home office
To proffer innovative strategies and recommendations for roll-out and operationalization of the proposed MAL-RMNCH integration
Any other tasks that maybe required in relation to the integration
Role of MSH:
MSH supervising technical staff will liaise with the consultant on a day to day basis to provide needed support throughout the period.
MSH Home Office will support consultant, and review all deliverables
Provide all the financial and logistic requirements – accommodation and per-diem for the consultant, consultancy fees will be negotiated according to the level of expertise.
In collaboration with the consultant ensure that each of the national stakeholders take responsibility for the new system and see it as an improvement towards their work process.
Role of Consultant:
Perform the roles specified in the TOR above.
Qualifications/Requirements The consultant is expected to meet the following requirements;
Have an M.B.B.S/M.D or PhD
Postgraduate training in OB-GYN, Pediatrics, Community Medicine, Epidemiology, Public Health or Medical Statistics
Over 15 years post-graduation experience working in public health programs within and outside Nigeria
Experience with carrying out similar consultancy (research/surveys, development of national policies/documents, etc.) in malaria programming
Be willing to travel within Nigeria
Be available to begin the consultancy immediately
Apply via :
jobs-msh.icims.com