APW for independent data collection, monitoring and evaluation of the RAI2E malaria elimination activities in Laos

BACKGROUND

The Regional Artemisinin-resistance Initiative (RAI) was launched in 2013 in response to the emergence of artemisinin resistant malaria in the Greater Mekong region. Funded by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the first RAI round (2014-2017) was a USD 100M grant covering the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

The RAI Regional Steering Committee (RSC), a multi-stakeholder governance body, provides strategic guidance, selects recipient implementers, and oversees grant implementation track progress against program objectives and ensures funding is used in accordance with agreed strategic priorities. A follow-on investment was signed for 2018-2020 as an expansion of the RAI, renamed the RAI2-Elimination (RAI2E) grant, with a total of USD 242M over three years.

The RAI2E focus on elimination requires a united effort with shared visibility over quality of implementation. The RSC has also acknowledged that the increased volume of funds, together with the exceptionalism of elimination requires more granular data and attention to sub-national implementation challenges, course correction and resolution. Routine program implementation/ grant data (e.g. collected through semi-annual PUDRs) are vital, but insufficient; they measure outcomes and/or coverage of services, without the supporting contextual link to implementation quality on the ground. Field level intelligence is required, and this becomes critically important as micro-planning increasingly tailors local implementation to local context.

For the reasons above, the Regional Steering Committee, with the support of the Global Fund established an Independent Monitoring Panel (IMP) which informs the RSC whether the RAI2E implementers are on track to achieve the program’s goals and objectives, as well as identify implementation bottlenecks/critical issues and propose remedial actions to ensure that the RAI grant objectives and targets are achieved and impact is maximized.

As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads rapidly around the globe, RAI2E activities have had to adapt to ensure that not only the efforts to control the novel coronavirus are mobilized, but also to ensure that malaria elimination in the region continues its progress and services are not interrupted.  For this reason, the RSC Secretariat aims at strengthening the RSC oversight work by recruiting multiple on-site consultants, based in Lao PDR with the goal to support the IMP and its mandate while monitoring potential COVID-19 impacts in the field.

PURPOSE OF THIS CONSULTANCY

The purpose of this consultancy is to support the RAI RSC IMP for the RAI2E programme by monitoring COVID-19 and post-COVID19 impact on RAI2E malaria elimination activities in the GMS .

Main objectives:

• • Provide evidence-based quantitative and qualitative feedback to IMP on COVID-19 effects on malaria elimination activities in the country, including programmatic and behavioural changes that may risk setbacks in grant implementation;
• • Identify any critical bottlenecks affecting or potentially affecting the achievement of programmatic goals.

OUTPUTS, ACTIVITIES AND DELIVERABLES

Output 1: Desk-based situation analysis and preparation for in-country activities

• • Timeframe: Q3 2020 / Location: desk-based
• • Deliverable 1.1. Review report, plan of action and timeline for field visits within the country
• • Activities:

1. Collect and analyse available RAI2E programmatic reports and other relevant programme information as available (i.e. program reviews, survey data, LFA reviews, CCM oversight reports, other).
2. Collect and analyse relevant reports and information sources on COVID-19 effects on malaria elimination activities in the specific GMS country (i.e. WHO weekly reports, NMCP/PR/SRs reports, other).
3. Formulate a preliminary plan of action in consultation with IMP.
4. Formulate a timeline for in-country visits in consultation with the IMP and the RSC Secretariat.

Output 2: In-country missions to assess COVID-19 effects on RAI2E implementation and overall implementation progress

• • Timeframe: Q3-Q4 2020 / Location: to be determined based on consultant’s presence in the country (Lao PDR)
• • Deliverable 2.1. Detailed mission report on COVID-19 and malaria elimination activities, including risks, affects and mitigation efforts put in place by relevant stakeholders.

The report must include key issues such as:

1. PPE availability for malaria workers/in malaria posts;
2. Information on risks and protection measures among malaria workers;
3. Official guidance on malaria case management under the current context;
4. Number of people in the community seeking care and being tested and reasons why;
5. Migrant workers’ care seeking behaviours;
6. Changing patterns in forest going behaviours since emergence of COVID-19 pandemic (as quantified as possible);
7. Changing patterns in forest farms stays since emergence of COVID-19 pandemic (as quantified as possible);
8. Numbers of severe cases;
9. Medical products stock outs over the last months.

• • Deliverable 2.2. Detailed mission report on other identified critical issues not related to COVID-19 which may endanger grant implementation, programme quality and effectiveness.
• • Activities:

1. Conduct in-country interviews with RAI2E implementers (PR, co-PRs, SRs / NMCPs / CCMs) and other relevant stakeholders, including field level visits / interviews to assess COVID-19 effects on malaria elimination activities;
2. Review and analyse any additional documents and data provided by relevant stakeholders;
3. As part of the analysis report, formulate recommendations for remedial action for RAI implementers (PR/SRs), CCMs and other stakeholders as relevant on how to improve program quality and effectiveness.

APPROACH

• • The contractual partner is expected to be completely independent and have no conflict of interest (or clearly state any potential conflict of interest for the RSC or their delegate to decide of their ability to serve). They are expected to serve in an individual/personal capacity.
• • The contractual partner will report to and work under the overall guidance and direction of the RAI RSC IMP.  Oversight from the RSC will be coordinated through the RSC Secretariat, who will also provide administrative and contractual supervision.
• • The assignment is based on a combination of desk reviews, interviews/consultations (in- person/remotely) and field visits to implementation areas.
• • The level of effort for the assignment period will be determined in collaboration with the successful applicant.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

We seek a senior-level public health expert with the following qualifications and experience:

Qualifications

• • A degree in medicine or related sciences and advanced degree(s) in public health, epidemiology or related fields.

Experience

• • At least ten (10) years’ experience in the design/implementation/evaluation of health programs, preferably in an advisory capacity at senior levels;
• Experience working in the Greater Mekong Subregion;

Technical skills and knowledge

• • Significant malaria control and elimination knowledge and experience;
• • Proven ability to engage with, and build partnerships, across a broad range of stakeholders at senior level

Languages

• • Excellent English written and oral communication skills
• • Any other language from the GMS countries where RAI2E is implemented (desirable)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Place of assignment

The contractual partner must be already based in Lao PDR.

Planned timelines

• Start date:  13 October 2020
• End date:  15 December 2020

The contractual partner will be paid on the basis of actual days worked (expected amount of work is ~40 days). Actual number of days worked will be shared monthly with the IMP.

Medical clearance

N/A

Travel

Approximately 25 days of in-country field visits are envisaged and should be included in the application to this APW.

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV {for individual contractors} or Company Profile {for institutional applications} and Expression of Interest {cover letter} with proposed activities, timeline, budget and daily rates to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > and to the RSC Secretariat at rscsecretariat@who.int  by 22 September 2020. 

The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include their proposed daily fee and availability.

Please use Tender Notice No. 113780 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.