Consultant/Expert/Individual contractor to support health financing activities in the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office

BACKGROUND

Over the past decade, many countries in the Western Pacific Region have accelerated their movement toward universal health coverage (UHC) through high political commitment and their health-sector reforms, which have oftentimes been triggered by pressing health financing issues and the need to address increasing demands from emergent challenges such as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), accelerated aging of populations, and health security risks.

The rapidly changing contexts present opportunities but also challenges, especially in the health financing space where issues such as high out-of-pocket health payments, insufficient budget allocation, fragmentated funding flows and population coverage, reduced external funding for essential public health programmes, and passive purchasing practices are often observed, hindering countries’ progress towards UHC. The COVID-19 pandemic has put additional pressure to health financing systems in countries, exacerbating all the pre-existed vulnerabilities and further constraining fiscal space for health in the coming years.

In light of these challenges, there is an urgent need for governments to develop more equitable, efficient, resilient and sustainable national health financing strategies that fit for the future. Particularly, more efforts are needed to strengthen the shared understanding on prioritising health among finance and health authorities, including improving countries’ public financial management (PFM) systems for increased efficiency, transparency and accountability. It also includes the consideration of fiscal policy options such as health taxes to achieve the desired health outcomes for NCDs management while creating more space for government spending in the context of COVID-19. In addition, for countries currently undergoing social health insurance (SHI) reforms or considering setting/ improving purchasing schemes, it is crucial to draw lessons from international experiences to ensure the design and implementation of SHI schemes contribute to progress towards UHC.

This consultancy is expected to generate evidence and materials that facilitate health financing policy advancement with regard to PFM, SHI/purchasing schemes and health taxes. Deliverables from this work will be disseminated to WHO country offices and external partners to guide health financing policy dialogues in countries.

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

This consultancy will provide technical support to the Health Policy and Service Design Unit in facilitating Member States developing and implementing equitable and sustainable health financing strategies. Focus areas may include PFM reforms, strengthening purchasing schemes, including SHI and health taxes evidence generation and design. The work will be guided by the various health financing analytic frameworks and tools developed by WHO and contribute to the thematic priority areas highlighted by the regional vision paper “For the Future”.
 

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

Under the supervision of the Coordinator, Health Policy and Service Design, Division of Health Systems and Services, the consultant will carry out the following tasks:

Activity 1: Prepare evidence-based policy support to countries to facilitate PFM and budgetary dialogues among Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health and donor communities for sustainable financing for pandemic response and UHC.

• • Collect and compare government heath budget and expenditure information in priority countries (to be defined) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic where data available.
• • Document and analyse fiscal space and budgetary impact to the health sector in terms of changes in budget allocations and PFM practices during the pandemic response, as well as implications for future budgetary planning.
• • Contribute to high-level health financing policy advocacy activities and events in collaboration with national health authorities and external partners by producing relevant PFM policy briefs and background documents.

Deliverable 1: PFM policy briefs and relevant technical documents

Activity 2: Contribute to technical discussions and document preparations on the evolving roles of public financing schemes for universal health coverage, with focus on SHI schemes and policies, drawing lessons from international experience.

• • Support Member States in the region that have SHI/ public purchasing schemes in specific technical areas such as (not exhaustive list) provider payment mechanisms reforms, benefit package designs, claim processing, accreditation, macro-planning/ actuarial, amongst other areas.
• • Document the main characteristics of existing national SHI schemes, their implementation progress and major challenges in countries of the Western Pacific region;
• • Conduct technical evaluation on policies effectiveness against financial hardship in the region;
• • Support capacity building and knowledge dissemination activities at the regional and country level on managing SHI for UHC

Deliverable 2: Policy briefs on the progress and effectiveness of public financing schemes in the Western Pacific region

Activity 3:  Support WHO in delivering technical assistance to priority countries in the region (to be defined) on health tax policy development for UHC in collaboration with relevant technical units and country offices in WHO.

• • Conduct desk research and stakeholder interviews to review existing health tax policy and its implementation status quo in the given country, identify opportunities and challenges, and propose policy options in consultation with WHO country offices
• • Prepare policy briefs and technical documents on health tax to inform the various health tax policy option development in the defined country(ies), and link them to relevant fiscal space and PFM discussions
• • Support country consultation process and knowledge dissemination activities as required

Deliverable 3: Technical reports on regional and/or country-specific health tax policy review

The above activities and deliverables are subject to change according to the evolving WHO priorities during the contracting period, and may be re-defined upon mutual agreement between the consultant and WHO. In addition, the consultant is required to submit periodic progress reports and/or interim technical documents to support processing of payment schedules defined in the contract.

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

• • Perform desk reviews of health financing systems, policies and strategies globally and in the region with focus on emerging practices and issues in the space of PFM, SHI and health tax in the context of COVID-19 and progress towards UHC.
• • Collect, document, analyze and summarize relevant data and information based on reviewed materials, key informat interviews, consultations and feedback from WHO meetings and discussions.
• • Develop the required technical documents tailored to the regional and country demands and support knowledge dissemination .
• • Provide technical advise by developing policy briefs and tailoring analytics for Member States’ decision-makers and other audiences.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION                                  

Masters level university degree in health economics, economics, health policy, public health and/or social science or other related field from a recognized university.

EXPERIENCE

Essential: Minimum of seven years relevant work experience at national and international level in the areas of health financing, health system development or related field.

Desirable: Two years of international experience in the areas of health financing/ economics/public health or related field.

TECHNICAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Essential: Health financing, specifically on public financial management, social health insurance and health taxes. Demonstrated quantitative skills to produce evidence and information to strengthen health systems.

Desirable: Knowledge on health financing systems in countries in the Western Pacific Region

LANGUAGES

Written and spoken fluency in English is essential.Working knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.

COMPETENCIES

• • Teamwork
• • Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• • Communication
• • Creating an empowering and motivating environment
• • Producing results
• • Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Duty station: Manila, Philippines

Duration of contract: 8 months starting May 2022

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 15 March 2022.

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. 168493 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.