Health Emergency/MNCH Consultant

Duration: Starting  April 01 to December 31, 2023) with the possibility of further extension based on performance and fund availability.
No. of Consultant: One
Start Date: 01 April 2023
Reporting to: Health Specialist/Health Officer UNICEF Amhara Field Office Zonal Health Office

Background

The conflict in Northern Ethiopia and another part of the country resulted in damage and vandalization of health facilities and the health system. Following the expansion of the Tigray conflict to the Amhara region, a total of 453 health centers; 1850 health posts, and 40 hospitals were damaged in Amhara based on an initial assessment conducted in November/December 2021 by respective RHB. Most of the damaged health facilities are non-functional and not providing health services and restoring the basic health service will be a priority. Maternal Newborn and child health services are the most critical ones for the restoration of essential health services. Besides, Following the conflict, the scale of the conflict and the subsequent internal displacement is increasing in the region and the humanitarian situation across the region continues to deteriorate, and there is a high demand for humanitarian response to reach the needs of displaced and vulnerable persons.

Given the large geographic coverage and large population (about 23 million) and large-scale damage and looting of 52 percent of the health facilities in the region, health services restoration is challenging and difficult to deal with the existing human resource only. Hence, there is a critical need for a dedicated health emergency technical assistant in support of the field office team to run health emergency response and restoration of health service.
The consultant will assist the overall health emergency responses and restoration of health infrastructure and MNCH services in particular, through providing support in the coordination, planning, implementation, training/mentorship, rehabilitation and ensuring distribution of supplies and equipment to targeted health facilities in N/Gonder zone.

Justification

UNICEF as a humanitarian organization has been supporting the region's emergency response and restoration of health services technically (assessment, planning, coordination, risk communication, and community engagement), financially, and by availing and ensuring supplies for a timely Emergency response. Given the large geographic coverage and population of the region and the rapidly increasing number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in the region; scaling up of IDP response activities and restoration of health facilities is challenging and demanding. The extent of the emergency situation and its impact on essential health services has doubled the burden and widened the existing capacity gaps, especially at zone and woreda level for the increased supply and logistics management, monitoring, technical support, and guidance in responding to the emergency situation time and appropriately.

In addition, to strengthen essential health service coordination platforms at zonal and woreda levels, to ensure continuous monitoring of the situation and health service restoration and supply end-user monitoring, a dedicated health emergency consultant is highly required to provide the required field-level support. Thus, the consultant will help to provide technical support to the implementation of quality high impact and cost-effective UNICEF planned emergency interventions, health service restoration activities, and monitoring and reporting of UNICEF’s health emergency response with sustained and system thinking approach linking to ongoing development programs.

Objective

To provide technical support to the Amhara Regional Health Bureau and Amhara Region Public Health Institute and N/Gonder zonal health office on health emergencies response ensuring continuity of essential health services restoration for IDPs and host communities including Supply and logistics management focusing on a health facility and woreda level support.

Main duties and responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the Amhara Field Office, Amhara regional Health Bureau, and N/Gonder zonal health department, the incumbent will work closely in collaboration with relevant technical officers in the field office, the Regional Health Bureau, and Amhara Region Public Health Institute. He/she has first-line responsibility for promoting and implementing effective emergency response strategies with a focus on UNICEF-supported thematic areas of IDP response, supply and logistics, and essential health service. He/she will base in the North Gander zone which is hugely impacted by the current conflict to support the government in the provision of essential health services for women and children.

The main duties and responsibilities are here:

•  Provide support for strengthening essential health service access, supply, and logistics for IDP response and other health-related emergencies intervention at zone, woreda, and site levels in accordance with national and regional guidance.
  
• Provide technical support to conflict-affected zones, woredas, and health facilities on the adaptation of national health emergency strategies, standards, protocols, guidelines, training manuals and materials for health-related emergencies with specific focus on IDPs response.
•  Provide technical support for the implementation, monitoring and reporting on UNICEF health emergency response plan and ensure that UNICEF-mandated emergency interventions in health priority focus areas are implemented, monitored and managed in a timely and effective manner.
•  Provide professional assistance in risk analysis to identify emergency-prone conditions/situations and contribute to timely emergency preparedness.
•  Identify formal and informal sources of information and coordinate with WHO to collect, interpret and analyze available data on the evolving emergency and its implications to the emergency operation in UNICEF thematic support areas.
• Keeps the effective flow of information and communication crucial for the planning and implementation of emergency measures.
• Based on needs assessment, support and facilitate capacity building training of zonal/woreda and health facility workers and support for the adherence of government and non-government implementing partners to relevant standards and guidelines.
•  Conduct a continuous assessment of the occurrence of emergency situations. Collaborate with other partners to make a rapid assessment covering priority areas as defined by the Core Commitment for Children in Humanitarian Action. Establishes contact with community groups, government, UN agencies, media and other partners to keep the field office abreast of emergency situations.
• Monitor the proper implementation of the regional IDPs response plan activities and ensure the availability of essential health commodities/supplies and end-user monitoring and reporting regularly
•  Synergize systematic coordination of appropriate health in emergency operational response plan, with other relevant sectors and among UNICEF nutrition and WASH section.
• Compile accurate and timely emergency-related reports on progress made, challenges, and opportunities and share to the field office on weekly basis for monitoring progress and input on regional Sitrep for UNICEF Field Office and Ethiopia Country Office
•  Collects and analyses lessons learned from UNICEF's emergency operations experience and contributes towards the adoption of the best practices and standards for longer-term emergency interventions.
•  Collaborate with WHO to support the regional, zonal and woreda level emergency information management including collecting, analyzing, and reporting of health situations and response interventions in RCCE, supplies, and logistics.
• Undertake other relevant tasks as directed by her/ his supervisor and assist with other duties in support of the UNICEF Health program and FO.
  
  Expected Deliverables and Time frame kindly add the timeframe next to each deliverable.
•  The health component of emergency and IDPs response, health service restoration, supplies and logistics interventions are coordinated with EOC emergency pillars, programs, and sectors on weekly basis.
•  Strategic partnerships with key stakeholders for sustained and effective emergency response and health service restoration efforts.
•  Regular visits to conflict-affected woredas and IDP sites in the targeted zones on monthly basis and provide updates to the FO.
• Emergency preparedness and response plan (including COVID-19 pandemic) activity reports available, share to FO, and disseminated among partners and key stakeholders weekly
• Emergency situation reports are prepared and submitted to the field office weekly and monthly.
•  Other tasks related to the dynamic humanitarian situation as requested by the FO/ supervisor.
•  Monthly written report on the progress of implementation, challenges and opportunities submitted
  
  Reporting

Monthly written report on the emergency response and health service restoration activities implementation progress to UNICEF FO Health Specialist/ Officer and zonal health office

Expected background and Experience and Competencies

• Advanced university degree in the field of public health, field epidemiology and health-related background
• Minimum of 5 years of work experience in emergency response, MCH program, and working in Ethiopia’s health sector or NGOs working in emergency
• Fluency in English is required, and knowledge of the national and regional working language is also required.

General condition

• The consultant shall be based in the North Gondar zone with frequent visits to woredas, health facilities, and IDP sites.

• The consultant will be managed under the direct formal supervision of the North Gonder zone health office & the UNICEF FO Health Specialist/Officer.
• The consultant will not be provided lodging and/or meals. DSA will be provided when traveling outside the base through ABH.
• The consultant should use his/her own materials, i.e. computer.
• The consultant will be paid monthly upon completion of deliverables as indicated on this TOR and report approved by supervisor through the ABH Partners PLC.