Consultancy to Provide Technical Assistance at UNICEF
Consultancy to Provide Technical Assistance to the Government to
Effectively Implement the National Plan of Action for the Global
Alliance to End AIDS in Children by 2030, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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Job no: 568568
Contract type: Consultant
Duty Station: Dar-es-Salaam
Level: Consultancy
Location: United Republic of Tanzania
Categories: Health
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.
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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, care.
Tanzania has made remarkable progress in HIV epidemic control including in Preventing vertical (mother to child) transmission of HIV. Data shows an increasing trend of new HIV infections averted in children because of interventions the country is implementing to prevent vertical transmission of HIV. Recent epidemiological estimates show that the current Mother To Child Transmission (MTCT) rate stands at 6.5% which, despite declining from 11.1% in 2021 is still above the set target of below 5%. The Government of Tanzania has prioritized prevention of vertical transmission of HIV espoused in various policies and strategies over the years such as endorsing the Global recommendations on Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV since 2012 and road map for elimination of Mother To Child Transmission of HIV. The country has recently completed the review of e-MTCT plan III and developed the e-MTCT plan for 2022-2025 that will target triple elimination of HIV, Syphilis, and HBV. There is also inequitable access and low coverage of ART services for children and adolescents as compared to adults, for example, whilst adult HIV treatment coverage is at 96%, that of children stands at 73% reflecting a larger treatment gap. In response, the country has developed National Acceleration plan for pediatric and adolescent for HIV treatment and care, that is intended to increase the uptake of HIV services in children and adolescents in Tanzania.
The Tanzania HIV epidemiological profile for children, adolescents and women mirrors that of the global level. Concerned by the stalling of progress for children, and the widening gap between children and adults, UNAIDS, UNICEF, WHO and partners have brought together a global alliance to ensure that no child living with HIV is denied treatment by the end of the decade and to prevent new infant HIV infections.
Overview of the Global Alliance to end AIDS in children by 2030
The Global Alliance (GA) to End AIDS in Children by 2030 aims to: Advocate for and mobilize worldwide leadership, political commitment, and resources for urgent action to address inequities and end AIDS in children; Galvanize action in partner countries at national government and community levels by assessing and addressing inequalities, programme gaps and structural barriers across the four pillars of work; Stimulate innovation and technical excellence within and among countries by promoting the sharing of knowledge and experience among affected communities and country programmes and across relevant sectors; and Create and implement a mutual accountability framework around shared targets and commitments. The launch of the Alliance at the International AIDS Conference in Montreal on 1 August 2022 followed by the African launch in Dar es salaam, 1st February 2023 was highly successful, with strong commitments made by the government, UNAIDS, UNICEF, WHO, PEPFAR, Global Fund, networks of people living with HIV, Faith-based Organizations, and other key stakeholders. The Global alliance have identified four pillars for collective action:
1. Closing the treatment gap for pregnant and breastfeeding adolescent girls and women living with HIV and optimizing continuity of treatment.
2. Preventing and detecting new HIV infections among pregnant and breastfeeding adolescent girls and women.
3. Accessible testing, optimized treatment, and comprehensive care for infants, children, and adolescents exposed to and living with HIV.
4. Addressing rights, gender equality, and the social and structural barriers that hinder access to services.
How can you make a difference?
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Rationale for this technical assistance
Tanzania is among the phase 1 countries and shown strong commitments to roll out the Global alliance initiative. Since the African political launch in February, the country has developed the country’s road map and action plan to guide the implementation of the planned activities towards achieving the targeted outcomes. Effective implementation of the agreed action plan will help the country achieve the set targets. There is a need however to make sure that the road map is implemented and monitored as planned. With competing priorities at the Ministry of Health, there is a need to engage a consultant whose primary role will be to oversee adherence to the road map and effective implementation of the action plan. The proposed consultancy has been agreed upon by Ministry of Health and key partners in implementation of Global Alliance, including UNICEF, UNAIDS and WHO.
Specific objectives of the assignment.
i. To support the Ministry of Health on governance and coordination of the Global Alliance initiative in the country
ii. To coordinate and facilitate timely and effective implementation of planned activities as per the road map and action plan.
iii. To plan and facilitate the preparations of the Task Team meetings as per the agreed schedule
iv. To track and prepare the country’s progress reports with achievements that set objectives and targets for 2025 in line with the four pillars of the alliance
v. To conduct and facilitate quarterly implementation review exercise informed by evidence.
vi. To provide technical advice to the Government and National Task Team and the secretariat of the alliance on action plan implementation.
vii. Follow up on activities implemented by the National Secretariat of the Global Alliance
Expected outputs.
• GA activities implemented and monitored
• National coordination structures supported and functioning
• Learning and experience from the field documented
• Regular progress report developed and shared at national and global level
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
• Master’s Degree in Healthcare (Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, or other Biomedical Sciences), Public Health, Health system or relevant field.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in public health, HIV/AIDS planning, and management and/or in relevant areas of pediatric and adolescent health care, health, gender, and sexual reproductive health and rights.
• Relevant experience in overseeing the implementation of strategic and operational plan(s) particularly for the health sector is desirable
• Experience working in Tanzania on issues of PMTCT, Paediatric AIDS, Adolescents, gender, and SRHR is required.
• Prior engagement with the Ministry of Health is an added advantage.
• Excellent organizational skills and good command of verbal and written English and Kiswahili.
• Ability to work in a team and with multiple stakeholders and partners including communities, CSOs, PLHIV groups in HIV response in Tanzania and Africa.
• Demonstrated understanding of the health system along the continuum of care for HIV services in Tanzania
• Excellent problem‐solving skills and ability to work within tight deadlines.
DELIVERABLES, DELIVERY DATE AND PAYMENT RATES.
Deliverables
Delivery date
Payment date
1. Inception Report
15th Feb 2024
20%
2.GA Progress Report 1
30th Mar 2024
30%
3. GA Progress Report 2
15th May 2024
30%
4. Final GA Progress Report (narrative report, compendium of best practices and power point slides)
15th Jun 2024
20%
Total
5 months
100%
PAYMENT SCHEDULE.
UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or portion of payment if
performance is unsatisfactory, if work/output is incomplete, not
delivered or for failure to meet deadlines
ASSESSMENT / SELECTION PROCESS AND METHODS
The Financial Proposal should include all costs of this assignment
including fee, travel costs, accommodation as UNICEF will not pay any
DSA. The financial proposal should be in Tanzania shillings.
Proposals will be both technically and financially evaluated. The technical part will carry a weight of 75%, in which the consultant will be evaluated in terms of their education level and work experience. The financial part will carry 25% showing the proposed budget breakdown of consultancy cost for each deliverable (fees, travels and accommodation) and eventual total consultancy cost.
MEDICAL EVACUATION COVERAGE.
The consultant will be required to submit the proof of medical/Health Insurance with medical evacuation coverage.
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LOCATION AND DURATION.
The consultancy is based in Dar es salaam and will be for 6 months from January to June 2024.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Remarks:
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Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.
Deadline: 10 Jan 2024 E. Africa Standard Time
