SHORT TERM CONSULTANCY (STC) –MALARIA MICROSCOPY AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO NATIONAL MALARIA CONTROL PROGRAMME IN CAMBODIA

BACKGROUND

Cambodia is one of the countries endemic with malaria in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). The country has strengthened its commitment to eliminating malaria during the previous five years and has made significant progress towards the goals outlined in the National Strategic Plan for Elimination of Malaria in Cambodia, 2011-2025, and the Malaria Elimination Action Framework (MEAF) 2016 - 2020. Only 4320 cases of malaria were reported in 2021, among them only 361 cases of falciparum malaria.

Malaria diagnosis is an important part of the interventions. It composed of microscopy and Rapid Diagnostic Tests. Although RDT has been widely used in the country, microscopy is still practiced. Microscopy is the corner stone for Therapeutical Efficacy Study, Integrated Drug Efficacy Surveillance, and diagnosis in hospitals and other facilities. It will not be replaced by RDT. Moreover, to establish a microscopy network that serve the elimination of malaria and preventions of re-establishment of transmission is compulsory for certification of malaria-free status by WHO.

External Competency Assessment is one of the means to ensure the quality of microscopy. It should be conducted every three years for renewal of the certificates issued to participants. In Cambodia, the last ECA training course was held on 22-26 October 2018 in Siem Reap Province supported by WHO. Among all the 12 CNM Lab staff who joint the assessment, 7 of them got Level 1 certificates, 2 got Level 2 certificates. The certificates issued by WHO for the ECA should be updated in year 2021. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 in 2020-2021 pandemic prevented it from happening.

In order to uphold the capacity of microscopy and national and provincial teams, it is proposed WHO provide a distance and in-country technical support through a recruited consultant.

 

PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

The consultant will support the Cambodia malaria program to implement activities in order to uphold microscopy quality to meet the need of malaria elimination in the following areas:

1. Advocacy for and support the establishment of the national and provincial reference laboratories
2. Endorsement and training of SOPs for national and provincial reference laboratories
3. Technical assistance to microscopy refresher training for provincial/district hospitals
4. Supervisory visit of district hospital laboratories in 17 provinces, including panel testing
5. Inventory of health facilities providing microscopy and/or RDT services to determine coverage
6. Roll-out of national competency assessments for 12 laboratories of provincial hospitals
7. Review of QA activity implementation six-monthly, to identify gaps and improve implementation, with participants from CNM, provinces and partners

 

PLANNED TIMELINES (subject to confirmation)

• Start date: 15 June 2022
• End date: 30 November 2022

(Consultant will travel to Cambodia and do field work from 15 June to 30 November 2022)

 

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY AND LIST OF OUTPUTS

In close collaboration with the MME Coordinator and Medical Officer for Malaria, Vector-borne and Other Parasitic Diseases of WCO Cambodia, and partners, a consultant is expected to provide the following outputs and deliverables.

Output/s:

Output 1:  Advocacy for and support the establishment of the national and provincial quality laboratories (NRL and PQLs)

• Deliverable 1.1:  To support organizing consultancy meeting on establishment of NRL for elimination through development and review of NRL criteria
• Deliverable 1.2:  To support organizing consultancy meeting on establishment of PQL for elimination (6 provinces) through development of provincial quality lab criteria

Output 2: Endorsement and training of SOPs for national and provincial reference laboratories

• Deliverable 2.1: To support the endorsement of the SOPs through final revision of the SOPs if needed
• Deliverable 2.2: To support the National SOP training for NRL through orientation and teaching
• Deliverable 2.3:  To support the Provincial SOP training for PQLs (6) through orientation and teaching

Output 3: Refresher training in 21 provinces for at least 131 microscopists roaster in 2021 (RH, OD, HC)

• Deliverable 3.1: To help in administration and analysis of questionnaire for selection of ECA participants
• Deliverable 3.2: To conduct pre-ECA 12-person Refresher training (1 for CNM, 1 for province)

Output 4: Supervisory visit of district hospital laboratories in 17 provinces, including panel testing

• Deliverable 4.1: To support development of supervisory checklist
• Deliverable 4.2: To conduct supervisor training in checklist use to CNM Lab Unit and Level A microscopists in provinces
• Deliverable 4.3:  To support the OTSS in 17 provinces
• Deliverable 4.4:  To support supervisory visits of CNM laboratory to national and provincial hospitals

Output 5: Inventory of health facilities providing microscopy and/or RDT services to determine coverage

• Deliverable 5.1: To support design of inventory tool
• Deliverable 5.2: To support the collection of inventory data
• Deliverable 5.3:  To support analysis and report of the inventory survey

Output 6: Roll out of national competency assessments for 12 laboratories of provincial hospitals on-site

• Deliverable 6.1: To support selection of participants for NCA
• Deliverable 6.2: To support the holding of NCA of 5 days

Output 7: Review of QA activity implementation six-monthly, to identify gaps and improve implementation, with participants from CNM, provinces and partners

• Deliverable 7.1: To support CNM in design the content and methodology of the review meeting
• Deliverable 7.2: To support in facilitation of at least one of the two review meeting
• Deliverable 7.3:  To support analysis and report of review results
• Deliverable 7.4: To support in draft plan for microscopy QA for year 2023 based on the review meeting’s findings and recommendations

 

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

• • Qualifications required: Minimum university degree in public health, infectious disease control, epidemiology or other relevant areas
• • Desirable: Advanced degree in public health, infectious disease control, epidemiology or other relevant areas
• • Degree in medical lab technology is advantage

EXPERIENCE

• • Minimum 5 years of international and national experience in malaria microscopy
• • International experience in microscopy training and quality assurance in Asia;
• • Experience working with malaria program in the Greater Mekong Region;
• • Experience in working with Cambodia malaria program is an advantage

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• • Knowledge of the specific or technical area of malaria microscopy;
• • Ability to develop plans and guidelines to country context;
• • Ability to conduct policy, guidelines and SOP review, critical evaluation of research results, assessment of fitness of research results to local contexts

OTHER SKILLS

• • Excellent/demonstrated writing skills in academic settings

• • Proficient in standard MS Office software applications.  Presentation skills.

LANGUAGES

• • Expert level of English is essential (Read-Write-Speak). Working knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.

COMPETENCIES

• • Communicating in a credible and effective way
• • Producing results
• • Knowing and managing yourself
• • Moving forward in a changing environment
• • Fostering integration and teamwork

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Place of assignment

The consultant is required to work closely with CNM national counterpart and WHO country office in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Medical clearance

The selected consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

Travel

The Consultant is expected to travel internationally to Phnom Penh on 15 June 2022 and will start work with counterpart and WHO country office in Cambodia, including extensive travel to the provincial level.

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. WHO Country Office Cambodia will facilitate the procedures to obtain official visa.

 

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit the following documents to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 1 June 2022

• • Curriculum Vitae
• • Expression of Interest (cover letter). 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. 174330 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.