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Background and Justification
UNICEF is seeking consultancy services to document the newborn health stories in Namibia. Namibia is a signatory to the Millennium Declaration and A Promise Renewed. In 2014, Namibia launched the costed Child Survival Strategy and Scaling Up Nutrition country implementation plan under the umbrella of A Promise Renewed. Under these strategic documents, Namibia has committed to accelerate the reduction of neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births from 20 in 2013 to 10 in 2018. This target was seen as too ambitious because the country didn’t have an appropriate Every Newborn Action Strategic plan.
In 2016, UNICEF Namibia started supporting the government to respond to the stagnant and/ or increasing mortality rates among neonates through the development of the national Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP) to prevent national deaths in the country. The ENAP focuses on four strategic interventions that are estimated to have potential impact of scaling up a range of evidence-based interventions within the health systems with high neonatal mortality burden. The key indicators within the plan were integrated within but not limited to the national policy documents such as the health strategic plan (2018-2022), the RMNCAH&N strategy (2018 -2022) and aligned to the UNPAF (2019-2023).
To date, the ENAP was modelled in Oshana region in 2017 and is being scaled up to additional sixteen selected districts of the Ohangwena, Kavango (East and West), Zambezi, Omusati and Kunene regions respectively.
Although programme reports have indicated promising achievements, and best practices in the modelled site, there has not been a proper documentation analyzing best practices and drawing lessons from the implemented high impact low cost interventions on neonatal health. It is therefore, critical to tell the story of newborn health in Namibia through documentation of best practices, lessons learnt and innovations to inform advocacy and scaling up.
It is against this background, UNICEF is seeking consultancy services to assist with the documentation and telling the story of Newborn Health in Namibia.
Scope of Work
Goal and Objective:
Under the overall guidance and supervision of the Health Specialist, with support from the Communications Chief, the consultant will take stock of progress, document the stories and best practices, lessons learned from the implementation of ENAP as a strategy to reduce preventable deaths among neonates.
Specific Objectives are;
To document the implementation of the Every Newborn Action Plan through case studies, stories with focus on:
- Lessons learnt, best practices and challenges in scaling up the ENAP and related newborn health interventions.
- developing an advocacy pack consisting of strategies and key messages for each target audience (e.g issue papers, human interest stories, pamphlet, regional profiles) focuses on eliminating preventable deaths among neonates in order to inform government scale up on newborn health/newborn action plan. The target audience for the advocacy package will be decision makers, development partners and other partners including private sectors.
- Producing a user friendly report/document with clear action points, which will be used at different platforms by health facilities, program officers and decision makers to inform evidence on newborn health low cost high impact interventions.
- Document and capture voices of key partners and beneficiaries to showcase impact and change.
2. Provide details/reference to AWP areas covered: Explain briefly how this assignment links to the AWP/IR number.
Output 1: Relevant high-level decision makers ensure equitable resource allocation, efficient spending for maternal, newborn and child health; eMTCT of HIV, child protection, ECD, education, sanitation and nutrition is implemented. Activity Documenting newborn health. This activity is also linked to Namibia Country Office 2019 Annual Management Plan (AMP) priority area #6
3.Activities and Tasks:
The consultant will take stock of the implementation approach employed for ENAP in Oshana, Ohangwena and Kavango region, issues related to governance and accountability, identify partnerships that have contributed to the success of the approach and highlight stories which demonstrated delivery of quality care. The consultant will also identify advocacy and programming achievements highlighting best practices and key lessons learnt, including identification of gaps in implementation.
The process will entail desk review, key informant interviews and consultations with key stakeholders, field visit to selected districts/intermediate hospitals and communities, and production of the documentation package which will include a summary narrative report, at least 4-6 write ups or scenarios that highlight best practices, innovations and stories of impact.
The consultancy should document the key indicators for newborn health in Oshana, Kavango and Ohangwena regions and demonstrate the improvement of these indicators in Oshana regions from 2016 as baseline to 2018 as follows:
Neonatal mortality rate; Fresh stillbirth rate; Skilled birth attendant at birth; Exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age (%); Women with preterm labour receiving at least one dose of antenatal corticosteroids (%); Babies born in health facilities with birth asphyxia received resuscitation (%); Newborn with low birth weight/prematurity managed with KMC at facility (%); District hospitals with functional special care newborn units (%); district hospital conducting clinical audits (%).
The consultancy should as much as possible determine what type of intervention package in descending order of impact on neonatal mortality are being implemented in the region, the existing gaps and give clear recommended strategies to address the gaps
Figure: Intervention packages in descending order of impact on neonatal mortality
4. Work relationships:
The consultant will be responsible for telling the story of newborn health through documentation of the newborn health interventions being delivered versus the proposed intervention package in the ENAP. She/he shall work with a core programme team under the guidance of the Health Specialist and the Chief of Communication, supported by the Chief, CSD. This shall include management of the consultancy, timeframes and outputs, coordination of meetings and other activities under the Consultancy.
Outputs/Deliverables:
The following are the expected deliverables;
No.
Major Task
Deliverable
Time Frame
Schedule of Payment
4.1
Desk review conducted and inception report produced indicating mapping and timeline of activities to be undertaken
Inception Report
1week
20%
4.2
Interviews & consultations with key stakeholders
Consultation documented
1 week
4.3
Field visits collecting the voices, observations, interviews and stories
Draft Report consisting of 10 Human Interest Stories, and recommended strategies (as described under Specific Objectives)
2 weeks
30%
4.4
Submit the final user friendly report, documentation/advocacy package based field and site visits & interviews (with stakeholders inputs)
Validated findings available
3 days
50%
Final report and advocacy pack
2 days
Desired profile
- Masters Degree in relevant field (e.g. public health, epidemiology/social services, or related etc.).
- At least minimum 5 years’ experience working on Newborn and or child health programming with example of similar documenting work. Technical expertise in communication expert will be an added advantage.
- Familiarity with various service delivery care models for Newborn health and/ or maternal child health programming.
- Experience in engaging and or leading consultations with national authorities in documentation and reporting processes.
- Experience in developing reports, advocacy packages, case studies, policy briefs for a range of audiences including policy makers and neonatal and / or child health.
Administrative issues
The consultant will be engaged fulltime in country. However, working days will be determined as per the prescribed duration of each deliverable.
The Consultant will work on his/her own computer and use his/her own office resources and materials in the execution of this assignment. UNICEF will allocate office space for the consultant. The consultant fee shall be inclusive of all office administrative costs i.e (travel, DSA and visa fees)
As per UNICEF policy, payment will be made against approved deliverables. Please also see UNICEF’s Standard Terms and Conditions attached.
How to Apply
Please visit our careers page at https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/ for details on the consultancy assignment and how to apply.
The search criteria are Namibia and Consultancy. Please insert requisition number of the advert in the ‘Keyword‘ tab and scroll down to selectconsultancy on ‘work type’ tab.
Interested individuals should submit a financial and technical proposal detailing proposed methodology, work plan, timeline and samples of similar work. A detailed breakdown of the proposed cost should include consultancy fee, living expenses and travel both into and within Namibia. Applications without a financial proposal will not be considered.
Applications should be submitted no later than Monday, 20 May 2019
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 are view our competency framework athttp://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.
How to Apply?
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=522060
