Request for Application at Malaria Consortium

Posted by Future on Tue 07th Dec, 2021 - nigeriantenders.com

Malaria Consortium invites qualified and interested and qualified consultants to indicate interest by submitting applications for the following works:

Malaria Consortium is an international non-profit organisation specialising in the comprehensive control of malaria and other communicable diseases - particularly those affecting children under five. Established in 2003, Malaria Consortium works in Africa and Asia.

Applications are invited:

Title: Request for Application - Consultancy Opportunity for Generating an SMC Digital Roadmap

Preamble

To prevent malaria in those most vulnerable to the disease’s effects in areas where transmission is seasonal, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC). Malaria Consortium has been a leading implementer of SMC since the WHO issued its recommendation to scale up the intervention in 2012. In 2021, our SMC programme reached 20 million children in Burkina Faso, Chad, Nigeria, Togo, Mozambique and Uganda. SMC comprises the following intervention components: planning & enumeration, procurement & supply management, community engagement, training, community-based administration of antimalarial medicines, case management & pharmacovigilance, supervision, monitoring & evaluation.

Digital tools have the potential to transform how public health interventions by increasing coverage, efficiency, quality, transparency and accountability. Though there are a range of possible use cases within the SMC intervention components, the adoption of digital tools has so far been slow. Malaria Consortium has been piloting Reveal, a geospatial intelligence platform, for use in SMC in Nigeria in 2020/21 and has some experience of the use of mobile solutions to transfer payments to SMC implementers in Chad, Nigeria and Mozambique. We also use different digital data collection platforms for a range of purposes, including coverage surveys, administrative data and research. Other SMC implementers have tested the use of different digital tools to register SMC implementers, process payments, manage supplies and collect data. However, such tools are not currently used consistently at scale. There is also a need to consider sustainability and how digital tools can be used to strengthen other mass campaigns and health systems more broadly. A strategic approach is needed to guide the definition of priorities and the use of resources, in line with Malaria Consortium’s broader digital strategy and the requirements of SMC-implementing countries.

Malaria Consortium is seeking a Consultant to produce a digital road map for Malaria Consortium’s SMC programme. The consultancy will reflect on the role Malaria Consortium’s SMC programme can play in efforts to strengthen SMC campaigns, considering future potential for supporting other mass campaigns, routine health services and health security, through increased use of digital tools. It will develop a road map that defines the longer-term vision and outlines the steps required to achieve the objectives.

Objective

This consultancy will reflect on the role Malaria Consortium’s SMC programme can play in efforts to strengthen SMC campaigns, considering future potential for supporting other mass campaigns, routine health services and health security, through increased use of digital tools. It will develop a road map that defines the longer-term vision and outlines the steps required to achieve the objectives. This will involve technical, operational and commercial considerations, including:

Reviewing the pre-existing mapping of existing technologies and providers that support mass campaigns which has already been undertaken by the Senior Digital Health Specialist and SMC digital focal points in each country supported by Malaria Consortium.
Building on the mapping to develop a comprehensive list of potential digital solutions, noting their capabilities, drawbacks, requirements, costs and any other relevant factors relevant to their application to the SMC intervention component.
Synthesizing and interrogating the documented feedback received from external SMC stakeholders in our SMC countries of their digital requirements, and as necessary, supporting additional information gathering exercises.
Documenting the requirements of internal stakeholders at organizational, programme and country level, through informational semi-structured conversations.
Exploring scalability and sustainability in terms of country ownership, data sovereignty, offline capabilities, mobile phone ownership, innovative health worker training models including remote trainings, integration with other mass campaign digital tools and routine health system platforms and health management information systems (e.g. HMIS, DHIS2).

Requirements

Essential:

Good understanding of digital health, innovations and technological approaches to public health
Experience of conducting similar exercises to generate and synthesise learning from a wide range of stakeholders across locations and functions
Ability to facilitate structured discussions and derive insights and conceptualisation
Excellent writing skills in English
Familiarity with qualitative research techniques
Intercultural tact and awareness
Access to and familiarity with suitable communication platforms, preferably Microsoft Teams or Zoom.

Desirable:

Experience in digital health strategic thought leadership
Good understanding of the epidemiology of infectious diseases in Africa
Demonstrable experience in developing campaign-based digital health strategies
Experience of working with stakeholders in low- and middle-income countries.
Fluency in French and or Portuguese?

Application Closing Date

17:00 (GMT) 31st January, 2022.

Application

Please submit your CV, proposed fee in GBP (inclusive of any tax), a recent writing sample (ideally a strategic-focused output) and two references to:

Poppy Farrow,

Malaria Consortium,

The Green House,

244-254 Cambridge Heath Road,

London, E2 9DA.

Email: p.farrow@malariaconsortium.org

In your application, please briefly state:

How you meet the requirements outlined above
How you propose to document the semi-structured conversations with internal stakeholders
How you would approach the synthesis of emerging themes and recommendations
How you would analyse the data to then support defining an overarching strategy/model/approach.

The successful applicant is required to provide proof of professional indemnity insurance prior to contracting.

For more clarifications on this RFA, please Click Here (Ms WORD).