CONSULTANCY OPPORTUNITY – MATERNAL HEALTH CONSULTANT
BACKGROUND
MOMENTUM Safe Surgery in Family Planning and Obstetrics (MSSFPO) seeks to sustainably support the Government of Rwanda (GOR) in strengthening surgical safety within maternal health (MH) and voluntary family planning (FP) programs, by promoting evidence-based approaches and testing new innovations. MSSFPO will work with the Ministry of Health of Rwanda (MOH), as well as other Rwandan institutions, including civil society, faith-based, and community-based organizations (CSOs, FBOs, and CBOs), professional associations and other stakeholders. MSSFPO will advance the Results Framework described in Figure 1, adapted from the overall Results Framework guiding the MOMENTUM suite of projects. MSSFPO is led by EngenderHealth with a consortium of core and resource partners, including IntraHealth International.
In Rwanda, MSSFPO specifically seeks to support the GOR to accelerate reductions in maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity by increasing the capacity of the Rwandan health system to introduce, deliver, scale-up, and sustain the use of evidence-based, high-quality interventions for the provision of safe emergency surgical obstetric services, including CD and hysterectomy, difficult removal of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), and task shifting for permanent methods (PM). MSSFPO will collaborate closely with the USAID-funded Ingobyi Activity (led by IntraHealth) to leverage and align project platforms and activities. MSSFPO initially plans to work at the national level and in Ingobyi-supported districts, while concurrently engaging with national level actors to support an enabling environment for the scale-up of effective interventions, testing of promising practices, and consistent monitoring and review of essential indicators. MOMENTUM Safe Surgery in Family Planning and Obstetrics (MSSFPO) is a new activity that is part of the USAID-funded MOMENTUM suite of awards. IntraHealth is a sub partner on MSSPO and is planning to lead implementation of MSSFPO work in Rwanda.
As part of the start-up phase of the project in Rwanda, IntraHealth International is seeking a consultant to support a rapid assessment and context mapping of focus areas with national stakeholders as well as in selected Ingobyi project districts. The process will engage a broad range of stakeholders in the rapid co-creation of locally-owned strategies to inform the workplan for an anticipated 4 year investment by MSSFPO in Rwanda.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The consultant is responsible for the following activities:
- Meeting with the MSSFPO team to discuss the scope of work and other expectations for the assignment;
- Developing the necessary methodologies and tools for conducting the rapid assessment and context mapping (details below);
- Conducting the rapid assessment and context mapping;
- Analyzing assessment/mapping findings;
- Developing a report, PowerPoint, and other materials to document as well as support utilization of the findings;
- Planning the co-creation workshops – includes identification and invitation of participants;
- Supporting implementation of the co-creation workshop as a subject matter expert and presenter;
- Supporting preparation of co-creation workshop report; and
- Supporting development of the year one and two work plan, including development of proposed indicators for monitoring progress.
Rapid assessment and context mapping details:
The start-up phase in Rwanda will include a rapid assessment and context mapping, enabling MSSFPO to develop a nuanced understanding of the current context in several focus areas. These focus areas include strengthening provision of safe cesarean sections and peripartum hysterectomies; and expanding availability of LARC/PMs (including removal services).
Through the rapid assessment and mapping, consisting of a desk review complemented by key informant interviews (KIIs), MSSFPO will examine the status of each of the following key programmatic areas, and identify interventions (and related level of impact) that have previously been implemented focusing on the following areas, among others:
- Referral systems from the community and peripheral health facilities for emergency surgical obstetric care
- National strategies, policies, curricula, standards and guidelines for provision of safe emergency obstetric surgery
- National strategies, policies, curricula, standards and guidelines for provision of safe surgical FP services, including difficult removal of LARCs
- In-service trainer confidence/competencies in providing training in safe obstetric surgical care, related anesthesia support, LARCs (including removals) and PMs
- Provider confidence/competencies in providing safe obstetric surgical care, related anesthesia support, LARCs (including removals) and PMs
- Continuing education for medical providers, including those in rural settings, for continuing professional development (CBD) and ongoing skills-building
- Pre-service education programs in safe obstetric surgery, including LARCs and PMs, for clinical staff
- Formal and continuing education for anesthetists who support safe obstetric surgery
- Status of equipment, supplies and medications required to support delivery of safe obstetric surgical care (including anesthesia support), LARCs and PMs according to national (or international) guidelines
- Practices and guidelines for task shifting for provision of LARCs/PMs, as well as caesarean section and hysterectomy, as relevant
- National M&E frameworks in safe surgery and FP/RMNCH+N integration, and availability of routine data through HMIS to monitor progress
- Surgical team readiness to provide care safely in time of COVID-19, including IPC implementation
- Integration of Gender Youth and Social Inclusion (GYSI) into provision of safe surgical services as well as LARCs and PMs
- Integration of GBV screening and referral within target MNCH/FP services
The mapping process will be conducted concurrently with the above-referenced rapid assessment to document current donor/other stakeholder-supported efforts related to strengthening safe obstetric surgical care and availability of LARCs/PMs. The key interventions, priorities, relevant program documents, and timelines of relevant current projects and initiatives acting in areas relevant will be collected and mapped to identify gaps/opportunities for intervention.
DELIVERABLES
The consultant is responsible for the following deliverables in alignment with the responsibilities above:
- Inception report outlining key tasks, methods, timeline and key milestones to be achieved in the course of the assignment;
- Rapid assessment and mapping plan (including interview guides and search parameters), and obtain relevant approvals at the national and regional levels;
- Comprehensive list of documents, references, and data sources, including: existing programs, surveys, and research reports; assessments, evaluations, and existing data from USAID projects; routine data sources including census and HMIS/DHIS2; and guidelines, policies, strategies, and other framework documents issued by the government;
- Summary of desk review findings, mapping, key informant interviews into a user-friendly document with a) high-level answers to the questions noted above; b) key recommended activities within the USAID/Rwanda priority areas; c) any activities outside the scope of work proposed by USAID/Rwanda that are identified as urgent priorities by MOH and development partners; and d) visualizations summarizing the relevant trends in knowledge, demand, and service availability/use/outcomes relevant to the identified focus areas;
- Co-creation workshop agenda and stakeholder list;
- Co-creation workshop presentations, including PowerPoint slides on the desk review, mapping, and key informant interviews, draft priority interventions and associated key activities and learning questions within the MSSFPO technical areas and Mission-identified priorities;
- Draft of work plan sections, including, but not limited to, technical approach, interventions, outcomes, as well as monitoring, evaluation and leaning; and
- Co-creation workshop report.
LEVEL OF EFFORT AND TIMELINE
The estimated level of effort is 50 days during the period of July through September 30, 2021.
LOCATION
Preparation of assessment/mapping instruments, desk review of existing documents and relevant literature, analysis and documentation of findings, preparations for co-creation workshop and support for workplan development can all be completed remotely. Field work in selected sites will be required for implementation of the assessment and mapping tools.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
It is envisaged that the consultant selected to implement this assignment will have the requisite combination of skills, expertise and experience to carry out the Rapid Assessment and Context Mapping, as follows:
- Medical degree with solid clinical background and understanding of safe surgery, FP/MNCH integration, and LARCs and PMs;
- Additional MPH training preferred;
- In-depth knowledge of qualitative and quantitative research / evaluation method;
- At least ten (10) years of experience in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of public health programs, and / or the design and conduct of public health research projects;
- Familiar with conducting Gender Youth and Social Inclusion assessments and GBV assessments;
- Good writing and synthesis skills;
- Strong knowledge of methods of collecting and analyzing data and presenting results and facilitating stakeholder workshops with high level national level staff and partners;
- Good understanding of Rwandan health system;
- Knowledge of local cultures and languages and the social context of Rwanda;
- Strong preference for a person of origin and resident in Rwanda; and
- Fluency in French required, and proficiency in English
APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications must be sent to the Chief of Party via email: ingobyiprocurement@intrahealth.org with “Maternal Health Consultant” in the subject line and specifying the desired area of work. Deadline for submission of applications is Friday, June 18, 2021 at 6.00 p.m.
The application file should include:
- motivation letter and updated CVs;
- professional references with full names, phone number and email address;
- technical proposal (3 pages maximum) including applicant understanding of intended scope of work;
- Consultancy fees-daily rates and biodata form; and
- At least 3 referrals/certificates from previous similar work.
IntraHealth International is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law, and requires affirmative action to ensure equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment and consultancies.
Only applicants fulfilling the above requirements will be contacted. If you do not hear from us within one week from the submission deadline, consider your application unsuccessful.
