Consultant - Support Health Law and Ethics (HLE) for PNG Country Office

BACKGROUND

The Western Pacific Regional Action Agenda on Strengthening Legal Frameworks for Health in the Sustainable Development was endorsed by Member States at the 69th session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific (RC69) in October 2020. The action agenda provides guidance to WHO and countries on prioritising action areas, improving processes, and enhancing capacities of stakeholders. Direct support to countries on the strengthening of legal frameworks for health is a key priority for the HLE unit.

Member States regularly request support from WHO in the development, implementation, and evaluation of legal frameworks across a broad range of programmatic areas, including health governance, health rights, health service delivery, public health risks, and social determinants of health. Legal reform involves complex processes that include problem identification, stakeholder engagement, legal drafting, enforcement, and monitoring.

The Health Law and Ethics Team cannot provide technical assistance to all regional countries.It tries to respond to requests where the work would provide an experience in legislation review which might have broader regional application and may provide an example of a legislative approach of broader regional application.

The Health System Design for a Modern PNG:  Review of Laws affecting Health System Governance & Service Delivery is such a review.  It considers all health sector legislation establishing health system governance and enabling health service delivery.  It includes other enabling system supports such as health financing, workforce and accountability. 

The consultant is requested to support the review process being carried out by the National Department of Health (NDoH) under the leadership of the Secretary for Justice and Attorney General who is also being advised by the Secretary for Health and the NDoH.

The consultant may also be requested to provide support on other health legislation reviews as requested, in particular, as they affect the Health System Design for a Modern PNG: Review of Laws affecting Health System Governance & Service Delivery.

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

The general purpose of this consultancy is to support the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific in assisting Member States of the Western Pacific to strengthen legal frameworks towards achieving health in the Sustainable Development Goals. Specifically, the consultant will support Health Law and Ethics (HLE) to support the PNG Country Office in PNG in assisting the PNG National Department of Health in undertaking priority reviews of legislation, in particular in relation to a current review entitled: Health System Design for a Modern PNG:  Review of Laws affecting Health System Governance & Service Delivery.

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT/ METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

Output 1: Support the National Department of Health to develop good working relationships with relevant stakeholders within provinces and provincial health authorities, and relevant sectors including the Department of Justice and Attorney General, the Department of Personnel Management, the Department of Provincial and Local-level Government and the Department of Finance.

Deliverable 1.1: Develop a project plan for consideration of Secretaries for DJAG and Health which includes next steps in consultations, development of policy proposals and an NEC legislative proposal based on the documentation and Policy Proposal and recommendations already developed and endorsed by the current Minister for Health, Hon Jelta Wong.

Deliverable 1.2: Attend meetings and provide briefings as requested and make suggestions about managing stakeholder and sector briefings and foster collegial and constructive working relationships.

Deliverable 1.3: Provide briefings, support and advice as requested to the Secretary for Health and the Secretary for Justice and Attorney General and as needed as the work progresses.

Deliverable 1.4: Develop a stakeholder consultation plan and provide technical support for its implementation as requested.

Output 2: Provide technical support and guidance for review progress

Deliverable 2.1: Provide drafts or contribute to draft documentation to support the progress of the review which may include but is not limited to briefings for Secretaries of affected sectors and of responsible Ministers, NEC submissions, policy proposals, explanatory material for provincial officers and Boards and executives of provincial health authorities and CSO’s and other affected organisations.

Deliverable 2.2: Provide technical support to the office of First Legislative Counsel when that office begins to draft legislation.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

• Required: University and/or post-graduate degree in law.
• Desired: Post graduate qualifications in law or public health

EXPERIENCE

Required: Minimum of five (5) years’ experience in strengthening legal frameworks for health, or related experience, including the provision of legal support to governments. Minimum of 5 years experience working in the Justice or Health Sector in PNG on legislation proposals.

Desired: experience working in legislation development in the Pacific or globally in small to middle income countries

SKILLS / TECHNICAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Ability to review legal instruments, and draft technical papers, concept notes, and reports; proven analytical skills and strong communication skills. Strong experience in legislation development in PNG.

LANGUAGE

Excellent command of English. Ability to converse in PNG Tok Pisin desirable

COMPETENCIES

• -  Communicating in a credible, effective, and culturally competent way
• -  Moving forward in a changing environment
• -  Producing results

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Duration of contract:     

1 year starting 03 January 2022

Place of assignment:

Home based

Travel:

While the place of assignment is principally at the Consultant’s home base, the Consultant may be requested to undertake travel overseas as part of the engagement.

All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance.

Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

Remarks

All rights in the work, including ownership of the original work and copyright thereof, shall be vested in WHO, which reserves the right (a) to revise the work, (b) to use the work in a different way from that originally envisaged, or (c) not to publish or use the work.

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 13 December 2021

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

Please use Tender Notice No. 158076 as subject to all submission.  Only successful candidates will be contacted.