Consultancy to support the functionality of NICUs , Newborn care and KMC corners in UNICEF supported districts, NOC, Kampala, Uganda, 147 days spread over 10 Months, (Ugandan Nationals Only)UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, a fair chance

Uganda is one of the over 190 countries and territories around the world where we work to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease, and discrimination place in a child’s path. Together with the Government of Uganda and partners we work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the objectives of the Uganda National Development Plan, and the planned outcomes of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Visit this link for more information on Uganda Country Office https://www.unicef.org/uganda/

How can you make a difference?

BACKGROUND

A Neonatal Mortality Rate of 27 per 1000 live births (UDH 2016) in Uganda is unacceptably high and accounts for almost 45 per cent of the infant mortality – a trend not changed over last ten years. The major causes of neonatal deaths in Uganda are preventable which include: Asphyxia 26 per cent, preterm 25 per cent and infections 31 per cent.  Despite of increase in the institutional deliveries from 57 to 73 per cent in 2016, the newborn mortality remains high.

Despite the support to improve newborn outcomes both at national level and in UNICEF supported districts, the 2019/2020 showed a high perinatal mortality rate of 23.8/1000 births with wide discrepancies across regions. Birth asphyxia is still the leading cause of mortality at 49% followed by complications of prematurity at 14%. Again, these proportions vary by region, for example contribution of asphyxia in some of UNICEF supported regions is Acholi 43%, Westnile 52%, Tooro 75% and Karamoja 46%.   Hospitals contribute the highest number of perinatal deaths (8804, 33%) followed by HC III (5644, 20%)

In 2019 and 2020, UNICEF made significant investments in supporting districts to set up and functionalize newborn care units and KMC units in Hospitals and HC IV respectively through minor infrastructure improvements, provision of equipment, training and mentorship. As a result, there has been a decline in early neonatal deaths in supported regions like Westnile and Acholi and demand for these services in increasing at these two levels of care.  There is however, need to ensure adherence to standards of care to further reap more gains from this investment.

Lack of blood and consumables was the leading logistics related avoidable factor contributing to perinatal deaths. This was followed by lack of resuscitation equipment and transport. As a result, UNICEF in 2021 will procure basic resuscitation equipment for all supported districts targeting all HC III and above, to ensure that resuscitation services are more available for newborns that need them.

With all these justifications including the urgent need for Uganda to strengthen the coverage and quality of intrapartum care to prevent asphyxia and preterm delivery.  When these conditions are unavoidable, availability of care for small and sick newborn at HCIV and hospitals and adequate resuscitation services at all levels is key. UNICEF plans to recruit an expert neonatologist on consultancy terms to support Ministry of Health and districts in improving functionality of established units for care of the small and sick newborn system, including KMC and supporting capacity development in resuscitation skills as described below in the key tasks/deliverables.

SCOPE OF WORK:

Under the supervision of the MNH Specialist, UNICEF Uganda Office and closely working with Health Specialists in Gulu and Kampala monitored districts.   the consultant will support implementation of  quality of care standards for small and sick newborn, support functionality of newborn and KMC units , facilitate onsite capacity development in newborn resuscitation  and support post-discharge follow up systems for NICUs and perform the following tasks:

  1. Support MoH to roll out standards for care of sick and small newborns:
    • Conduct roll out trainings in 11 hospitals (9 in westnile and Bwera hospital) and 20 HC IV (14 in WN, 6 in WZO).
  2. Assess the current situation of the care of sick newborn in 13 districts of West Nile and Kasese in terms of:
    • Functionality of newborn units established in 2020/2019.
    • Equipment, Medicines and supplies
    • Health workers’ capacity (delivery room midwives/nurse, neonatal nurse, and newborn care staff) Quality of care of early essential newborn care and sick newborn care
    • Data management
    • Referral patterns
  3. Support development and implementation guideline and recommendations for the real time monitoring of the NICUs including monitoring of the post-discharged newborns in at-least 2 hospitals in WestNile (ARRH and Nebbi hospital)
    • Recommendation for the development of NICU real time monitoring (content/indicators)
    • Recommendations and development of the system for community based post-discharge follow up of the NICU graduates (newborns discharged from NICUs)
  4. Training and mentorship on newborn resuscitation in Hospitals, HC IV and high-volume HC III
    • Develop the learning plan for the NICU and delivery room staff based on the learning need assessment and burden of newborn conditions
    • Conduct routine mentorship on newborn care including newborn resuscitation.
    • Create linkages between maternity and newborn units in hospitals to ensure timely provision of care.
  5. Document good practices and learning from the above experiences
    • Policy and programme briefs
    • Organize one national level forum linked to world prematurity day for high level advocacy
    • Document at least 3 good practices and learning
    • Develop protocol for the retrospective assessment of the NICUs in Uganda

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

The selected Consultant should have:

Education:

  • An advanced university degree required in Neonatology. Additional trainings in quality assurance, health system strengthening and management as an added advantage.

Experience:

  • At least 5 years of professional experience working in pediatrics and NICUs at hospital level, including the development of strategies and QI approaches in clinical setting.
  • Experience in supporting and coordinating capacity building activities across different levels of the health system and working with other international partner organizations.
  • Experience in data collection, analysis, and monitoring and evaluation.
  • Experience working with the national and district local governments in Uganda, and a strong understanding of the health system
  • Proven ability to manage relationships with UNICEF partners, including UN organizations, NGOs and the private sector

Required skills and expertise:

  • Proven skills in communication, networking, strategic thinking, advocacy and fundraising
  • Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas as well as to transfer knowledge and skills.
  • Strong writing and communication skills and the aptitude to handle competing messages and priorities with multiple audiences
  • Ability to travel and work in remote and sometimes insecure locations
  • Fluency in written and verbal English is essential.

Language:

  • Fluency in written and verbal English is essential.

Application Procedure/Call for Proposals

Interested candidates are required to submit a technical proposal on how they intend to approach the work. The proposal should include a timeline, and methodology, based on the Terms of Reference. The proposal must also include detailed CV of the consultant, as well as a financial proposal, clearly indicating daily rate for professional fees. The financial proposal must be all-inclusive of all costs (consultancy fees and where applicable air fares, airport transfers, daily living expenses).  This is a national level consultancy and competitive market rates should apply.

Evaluation of Candidate:

The consultant will be competitively selected from a list of applicants based on their past experience of doing similar work (extensive experience in writing donor reports, in compiling and editing annual reports for various UNICEF offices).

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.

The competencies required for this post are….

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

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.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Deadline: E. Africa Standard Time

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