UNICEF recruits 01 National Consultant to Provide the Technical Support to modelling Implementation of HIV Self Testing

National Consultant to Provide the Technical Support to modelling Implementation of HIV Self Testing among hard to reach male partners of ANC and PMTCT Clients in Rwanda (For Rwandans Only)

Job Number: 520575 | Vacancy Link

Locations: Africa: Rwanda

Work Type : Consultancy

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Background and Justification

 Implementation of the Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV programs have successfully been scale-up in most countries and having a considerable impact in reducing new HIV infection in children. Since the inception of the programme in the late nineties, continuous program evaluations, introduction of more effective interventions and applications of innovative strategies to deliver services are key factors that could be attributed to these programme achievements. For example, adaptation of opt-out strategies for HIV testing and use of option B+ are some of the major interventions that has enabled majority of pregnant women living with HIV access lifelong ART

HIV negative women in a sero-discordant relationships are very vulnerable to HIV infection and need interventions to prevent HIV infection thus avoiding vertical transmission from pregnant and breastfeeding women. The proportion of male partners tested in the ANC program in Rwanda is relatively high with a national average of 85%. However, this proportion is relatively low in Kigali City. In 2017 alone 25% of male partners of women attending PMTCT services in the City of Kigali missed the opportunity to test for HIV within the ANC settings

Given the opportunities to improve the uptake of male partners in antenatal care services, HIV self-testing (HIVST) is one of the innovative ways to further improve male partner involvement. Availing HIV self-tests can break the barrier of accessibility to the couple HIV testing and potentially improve access and uptake of HIV testing among hard to reach male partners. Rwanda Biomedical Centre, supported by and in partnership with UNICEF plan to pilot field level implementation of HIV self-testing among hard to reach male partners of ANC and PMTCT clients in selected health clinics in the City of Kigali with potential for future national scale up. Furthermore, current data indicates increasing trend of new HIV infections among adolescents and young people, more so in girls and young women. To minimise risks of acquiring new HIV infections, deliberate efforts will made to provide HIV self tests to male partners of adolescent and young women attending ANC services

Purpose

To ensure that lessons and experiences learnt from the pilot phase of the project are well understood, documented and shared nationally and globally, implementation research will form core part and parcel of the project. The main purpose of the proposed consultancy is to provide technical and expert support to pilot implementation of HIV self-testing among hard to reach male partners of ANC and PMTCT clients in six clinics in the respective catchment areas of the three district hospitals in the City of Kigali. The specific purpose is to support the qualitative operational research component of the project including  implementation quality assurance, data compilation, analysis and reporting

Objectives and tasks

Review and finalize draft research protocols, standard operating procedures, data collation, analysis and reporting tools to conform to ethical standards (quality protocol and tools)

Provide on-site quality assurance support to implementation, data collation, recording and reporting according to agreed project protocols, standards and timelines, working very closely with District Programme Managers and respective clinic focal persons (weekly clinic visits)

Facilitate collation, compilation, analysis, and reporting of quality results from qualitative and quantitative information gathered through structured questionnaire and clinic data tools respectively. Share interim results at time intervals as will be agreed upon (interim data reports)

Support documentation of lessons learnt, best practices and challenges during model project implementation to guide and shape future nation-wide project implementation scale up (concise report)

Produce a manuscript and compile a detailed final report with recommendations for presentation to the national HIV TWG meeting as and when it is scheduled (Manuscript, Final Consolidated Report -PowerPoint and Narrative)

Work relationships:

The consultancy involves working closely with the Rwanda Biomedical Centre, District Hospital Managers and respective pilot clinic focal persons in the City of Kigali, and the UNICEF technical team

Outputs and deliverables

Deliverables	Duration (Estimated # of days or months)	Timeline/Deadline	Schedule of payment
Inception report with outline of plan for meeting the deliverables during the consultancy period Monthly deliverable reporting template completed Research protocol and data collation tools, SoPs reviewed and completed Dummy data analysis and reporting template based on structured questionnaire completed	30 days/1 Month	Month 1	End of Month 1
Monthly project implementation status report – completed questionnaires – at least one quality assurance visit per week per clinic	30 days/1 Month	Month 2	End of Month 2
Monthly project implementation status report completed questionnaires – at least one quality assurance visit per week per clinic – Interim analytical data report	30 days/1 Month	Month 3	End of Month 3
Monthly project implementation status report – completed questionnaires – at least one quality assurance visit per week per clinic	30 days/1 Month	Month 4	End of Month 4
Monthly project implementation status report – completed questionnaires – at least one quality assurance visit per week per clinic	30 days/1 Month	Month 5	End of Month 5
Concise report of lessons learnt and best practices Study manuscript /paper (draft) Final Consolidated Report (Power-Point and Narrative)	30 days/1 Month	Month 6	End of Month

Evaluation Criteria

The Technical proposal is weighted at 75% and 25% for the Financial proposal.

Please note that the final remuneration will be negotiated by HR.

Payment Schedule

Payment is linked to agreed deliverables upon satisfactory completion and certification of deliverables by the supervisor.

Risks associated with the contract

All programme deliverables depend on government counterparts completing their tasks on time and this may affect timely completion of consultant tasks and deliverables. The UNICEF team will monitor work and hold regular technical and coordination meetings with Rwanda Biomedical Centre, the respective participating clinics and the consultant to ensure that deliverables are achieved in a quality and timely manner

General Conditions: Procedures & Logistics

The consultant will work on his or her own computer(s) and use own office resources and materials in the execution of this assignment. The consultant fees shall be inclusive of all office administrative costs

During the consultancy period the consultancy will cover his/her transport cost in Kigali and at the request of the supervisor, UNICEF shall provide the Consultant with transport for field visits. For Field Trip, the consultant will be reimbursed the living allowances on field pegged at not more than 75% of the applicable United Nations Daily Subsistence Allowance rate for any location and based on a submitted voucher/claim approved by the supervisor.

The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts.

As per UNICEF procedure on consultants and individual contractors, payment is made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Education: An individual with any of the following  postgraduate degree in epidemiology, biostatics, public health, social and allied sciences

Relevant work experience: a minimum of five years experience in the public health sector.

Competencies:  The individual must have ability and deep understanding of the HIV and MNCH programmes in the public health sector, with demonstrable experience in quantitative qualitative research methods. An understanding of the Rwandan public health system, with its different levels of health care service delivery is an added advantage.

Languages needed: English. Working knowledge of the languages spoken in Rwanda (French and Kinyarwanda) is an added advantage.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

How to Apply

UNICEF is committed to gender equality in its mandate and its staff. Well qualified candidates, particularly females are strongly encouraged to apply.

Interested candidates should send their complete Personal History (P11) form, which can be downloaded form (
http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc) or a CV/resume, as well as a cover letter explaining what makes them suitable for this consultancy.

Qualified and experienced candidates are requested to submit a letter of interest including a Technical Proposal outlining a road map for review and implementation timeline. In their letter of interest, candidates should highlight their previous work experience relevant to the assignment, the attributes that make them suitable, their proposed approach to the assignment.

The applicant should also submit an All-inclusive Financial Proposal outlining the total costs for this consultancy with payment linked to the main deliverables outlined above.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, 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.

Closing Date Thu Mar 28 2019 22:55:00 GMT+0100 (Afr. centrale Ouest)