Recruitment of individual consultant to develop ECOWAS Regional Strategic Plan for Neglected Tropical Diseases

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Date : 01 Apr 2021 - 15 Apr 2021
Venue : WAHO/OOAS,
Town : Bobodioulasso
Country : Burkina Faso

ORGANISATION OUEST AFRICAINE DE LA SANTE (OOAS)

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CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(Individual Consultant Services)

FM/TEND/AMI/2021/02/APM/SPM/bk

Recruitment of individual consultant to develop ECOWAS Regional Strategic Plan for Neglected Tropical Diseases

 

Introduction

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a set of chronic communicable diseases which disproportionately affect the poor in the tropical climates of the world.  It is estimated that about 1.7 billion people are affected by at least one NTD in 149 countries.  They are impoverishing, disfiguring and disabling.  In recognition of their importance to socioeconomic development, the sustainable development goals (SDGs) sub-goal 3.3 include them along with AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria as epidemics that should be ended by the year 2030.  Beyond SDG 3, NTDs and their interventions impact and are impacted by all the other  SDGs such as poverty (SDG 1), hunger (SDG 2), education (SDG 4), women’s empowerment (SDG 5), access to water and sanitation (SDG 6) and economic outcomes (SDG 8).

 

Mission objective

The overall objective of the consultancy is to develop a 2021-2025 NTD Strategic Plan for the ECOWAS Region.

Services to be provided by consultants

 

The Consultant will work closely with the Professional Officer for Non-epidemic diseases and NTDs (PO NED & NTDs) under the overall supervision of the Director of Public Health and Research at WAHO.  Through the PO NED & NTDs, the Consultant will draw on other relevant programmes and projects such as eye health, child health, health information and planning, and the World Bank-funded malaria-NTD project at WAHO.

The situation analysis shall include the following elements:

• Epidemiology
  • Current situation, forms, distribution and trends of the major types NTDs, particularly those prevalent in the ECOWAS Region and have been targeted for elimination or eradication;
• Social determinants
  • Factors contributing to NTDs, including inequalities in social determinants and socio-economic impact of NTDs especially among indigent or vulnerable populations;
  • Sociocultural dimensions of NTDs including health care behaviours and the potential of traditional medicine and local products for treatment;
• Policy framework, governance, coordination and partnerships
  • Current national, regional, and international legal and policy framework for the prevention, control and management of NTDs;
  • Strategies for the promotion of gender equality and rights in NTD programmes;
  • System of governance of NTDs in ECOWAS Member States, the level of integration with other programmes such as malaria control, maternal and child health, nutrition and eye health within the health sector; and cross-sectoral integration with sectors such as agriculture, WASH, and social protection.
  • Current and potential partnerships for regional and national response to NTDs
  • National mechanisms for coordination in general at the central and district levels;
  • Best practices, including those involving public-private partnership.
• Advocacy and finance
  • National budgets and expenditures on NTDs and funding mechanisms;
  • Advocacy programmes, including engagement with political authorities, Parliament, traditional authorities, private sector.
• Service delivery and strategies
  • Existing global and regional NTDs strategies;
  • Current practices and opportunities for cross-border collaboration;
  • Types, accessibility, coverage, quality and cost of NTD services along the health promotion to rehabilitation continuum; community and social mobilization;
  • Availability and use of guidelines for prevention, mass drug administration, management of medicines, working with community-based distributors, diagnosis and treatment.
• Monitoring and evaluation
  • Surveillance systems including entomological surveillance; research, data management systems for NTDs;
  • Monitoring and evaluation arrangements; use of African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) scorecards on NTDs;
  • Overall capacity for management of NTDs; SWOT analysis.

The situation analysis should identify up to six strategic thrusts for the strategic plan, which should be coherent with the WHO Roadmap for NTDs 2021-2030.

Duration of the mission

An Individual Consultant will be recruited to conduct the mission over a period of 30 working days over 3 months. Travel days to countries are not included.

Consultant profile

The assignment will be carried out by two individual consultants with the following qualifications:

• Holder at least a Master’s degree from a recognized university in public health, epidemiology, parasitology, entomology or in a related field
• At least 5 years’ experience in designing strategic documents on NTDs or related health programmes; 3 or more years international level experience will be an added advantage;
• Knowledge and in-depth understanding of the current sociopolitical and economic context in relation to NTDs and other health issues in the West African region;
• Experience in development and monitoring and evaluation of policies, strategic plans and NTD programmes;
• Good understanding of epidemiology, prevention, management and control of NTDs;
• Demonstrable skills in oral and written communication; including the ability to review and develop policy guidelines, NTD-focused concept notes/funded proposals and reports, and other publishable scientific articles;
• Ability to work in a multinational environment and with a variety of partners at national, regional and global levels;
• Good time management skills, including the ability to meet deadlines and handle multiple tasks at a time with a high degree of autonomy;
• Demonstrable knowledge and use of information technology;
• Proficiency in English and knowledge in another language of ECOWAS – French or Portuguese will be an advantage.

Content of the expression of interest

The West African Health Organization invites eligible Individual Consultants to express their interest in providing the services described above.

The Consultant must provide a technical file including the letter of expression of interest, past experiences (curriculum vitae highlighting degrees, experience gained, missions carried out, employers, periods of precise completion of each mission or post, experience in carrying out similar missions, as well as references for possible verifications, etc.); certified copies of certificates and diplomas; and a technical proposal which provides details about the work approach, methodology and a work plan.

Selection procedures

The consultant will be selected in accordance with the consultant selection procedures defined in the ECOWAS procurement code available at https://old22.ecowas.int.

The final selection will be made after an interview by the WAHO committee.

Criteria for the evaluation of expressions of interest

 

• Essential Criteria

 

• Degree (holder at least a Master’s degree from a recognized university in public health, epidemiology, parasitology, entomology or in a related field.): 20 points;
• At least 5-year experience in designing/elaboration of strategic documents on NTDs or related programmes: 20 points;
• Knowledge and in-depth understanding of the current sociopolitical and economic context in relation to NTDs and other health issues in the West African region: 15 points
• Experience in development and monitoring and evaluation of policies, strategic plans and NTD programmes: 15 points;
• Ability to work in a multinational environment and with a variety of partners at national, regional and global levels: 10 points;
• Proficiency in English : 5 points;
• At least 3 or more years international level experience will be an added advantage: 5 points;

• Desirable Criteria (10 points)

• Good time management skills, including the ability to meet deadlines and handle multiple tasks at a time with a high degree of autonomy: 5 points;
• Experience in the region (working level in English or French or Portuguese in West African countries) 5 points;

Information, date and place of submission of applications

Interested candidates may access the TORs on WAHO website at: https://data.wahooas.org/tenders/tenders/list

Further information can be obtained by contacting the following person, Madam Lalaissa AMOUKOU, Email: lamoukou@wahooas.org

Expression of interest should be submitted via the platform https://data.wahooas.org/tenders/tenders/list. Expressions of interest will be received no later than April 15, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. GMT.

 

Prof Stanley OKOLO

Director General