Development of Malaria National Strategic Plan and Global Fund funding applications in the Pacific Islands
Background
The Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (MTD) unit at the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) in Manila, Philippines supports national malaria programmes (NMPs) to apply effective regional and national strategies and policies to accelerate towards malaria elimination. Malaria remains a public health concern in the Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Solomon Islands (SOL) and Vanuatu (VAN). Malaria National Strategic Plans (NSPs) are key strategic documents that provide technical and budgeting guidance to achieve programmatic goals and that serve as a foundation for Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) funding grant applications. Current malaria NSPs and GFATM grants in PNG, SOL and VAN end in December 2020. Given the complexities involved in developing NSPs and GFATM funding application to address both the disease-specific component and malaria elimination through health system strengthening as part of the Malaria Elimination in Melanesia and Timor Leste Initiative (MEMTI), WPRO is recruiting high-level experts to support the NSP and GFATM development and submission process for PNG, SOL and VAN.
Purpose/Specific Objective of the Activity
The purpose is to develop fully-costed malaria NSPs and funding applications to cover activities in the NSPs via GFATM malaria allocations and MEMTI health systems for malaria elimination allocations in PNG, SOL and VAN.
Description of activities to be carried out
In close collaboration with National Malaria Control Programmes and WHO Regional and Country Office staff, the consultant(s) will coordinate the development of costed malaria NSPs and GFATM funding applications working closely together with technical working groups (TWGs) and relevant partners in each country. The consultants will facilitate relevant meetings and workshops in each country to support the development of comprehensive deliverables.
Method(s) to carry out the activity
The consultant(s) will carry the following activities:
- Finalize Malaria NSPs including costing matrices (2021-2025), utilizing recommendations from program reviews and other relevant documents, working closely with NMPs, malaria TWGs and relevant partners. Organize relevant national level workshops to collect relevant information and finalize documents based on comments received.
- Develop and submit GFATM malaria funding applications for PNG, SOL, VAN, including programmatic gap tables based on NSP targets, financial gap tables, budget breakdown and performance frameworks in line with costed NSPs 2021-2025, integrated with MEMTI components for health system strengthening to accelerate malaria elimination.
Description of the tasks/process involved in carrying out the activity
1. Finalize Malaria NSPs including costing matrices (2021-2025)
1.1: Draft NSP and prepare models for target setting (desk-based exercises in early 2020)
1.2: Organize in-country stakeholders' workshops to review and finalize NSP strategic framework, develop and finalize detailed lists of activities to include; rank for costing.
1.3: Review and validate the costing template used for current NSP (2015-2020) and work with country teams to update; summarize costings per objectives per year and finalize funding resources for key activities.
1.4: Present the NSP and costing matric to the malaria TWG and consolidate feedback accordingly; finalize costed malaria NSP 2021-2025.
2: Develop and submit GFATM malaria funding applications in line with costed NSPs 2021-2025 and integrated with MEMTI health system strengthening components to accelerate malaria elimination
2.1: Review and familiarize with GFATM funding application documents, guidelines and MEMTI landscape analyses to support application requirements
2.2: Organize stakeholders' meetings to gain national consensus and input on key areas to be addressed in each proposal
2.3: Work closely with the NMP, TGW and partners to complete each section of the application and prepare other relevant documents
2.4: Finalize funding applications 2021-2023, submit final versions (deadline 25 May 2020) together with other documents including programmatic gap analysis, financial gap analysis, performance frameworks and budget.
2.4: Edit and re-submit applications based on feedback and review by GFATM technical review panel (TRP)
Education
NSP Development: Epidemiologist/public health specialist (Team Leader) and a Master of Public Administration/ Health Economist; Degree from a recognized university with a post graduate qualification in public health.
GFATM Grant Development: Epidemiologist/public health specialist (Team Leader); Health Systems Specialist and/or Master of Public Administration/ Health Economist; Degree from a recognized university with a post graduate qualification in public health.
Experience
Team Leader: Minimum of 15 years of experience in designing health project planning, management, monitoring and evaluation at international level, experience in Pacific countries required; previous experience developing NSPs and GFATM grants required
Health Economist and Health Systems Specialist: 5 years of experience working with national disease programmes on financing and budgeting activities; experience in Pacific countries preferred; previous experience developing NSPs and GFATM grants preferred.
Deliverables
NSP Development: First deliverable: Draft Strategic Framework of Malaria National Strategic Plan 2021-2025; Second deliverable: Fully costed Malaria National Strategic Plan 2021-2025
GFATM Grant Development: First deliverable: Completed GFATM funding application with programmatic gap table based on NSP targets, financial gap table based on costed NSP, budget breakdown of the GF fund proposal 2021-2023 and completed performance framework; Second deliverable: Completed responses to TRP comments
Languages
Excellent knowledge of English is essential (read-write-speak).
Duration of Contract
6 months
Duty Station
Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu
Additional information:
Individuals and companies/teams are encouraged to apply for both or individual activities (NSP and/or GFATM grant applications).
The consultant(s) will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.
Competencies
- Produces effective written communications.
- Develops and promotes effective relationships with colleagues and team members.
- Produces and delivers quality results; action oriented and committed to achieving outcomes.
Please submit following documents to the Supply Officer (WPRO) at wproungm@who.int by 31 January 2020.
- Expression of interest (cover letter) that includes proposed consultancy fee (per day) and availability
- WHO personal history form or CV
- Please note that the application may be closed before the indicated closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received
- Only the successful candidates will be contacted