International and national consultants to support MOH in assess barriers of access to HIV, HBV and syphilis testing and treatment for prevention of mother to child transmission

 Call for Expressions of Interest and Proposal

Job Title: #053

International and national consultants to support MOH in assess barriers of access
to HIV, HBV and syphilis testing and treatment for prevention
of mother to child transmission

1. Background

WHO Global and Wester Pacific Region set the targets for elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, HBV and syphilis by 2030. This is an ambitious target but could be achieved if there is strong political commitment and investment from the government.

In Viet Nam, the National Action Plan (NAP) to eliminate HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis transmission from mother to child (EMTCT) in the period 2018 - 2030 was developed and approved on 29th November 2018 (Decision No. 7130/QD-BYT).  The NAP set the goal to elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV, HBV and syphilis by 2030 with specific targets such as 1) reduce HIV new infection in infants to ?50/100,000 new borns or reduce HIV transmission rate from mother to child to <5% in breastfeeding children or <2% if not breastfeeding children; 2) reduce the congenital syphilis to ?50/100,000 new borns; and 3) reduce HBsAg prevalence in children under five year old to ?0.1%. 

However, there are challenges during implementation of NAP. The testing coverage is still low. For example, in 2021, less than 70% of PW had HIV and HBV testing and less than 30% had syphilis testing in the country were tested for HIV, HBV and syphilis, respectively. There is limited data on linkage to prophylaxis and treatment among pregnant women who tested positive with HIV, HBV and/or syphilis. In the case of HIV, only 75% of the estimated number of HIV positive pregnant women received ART.

2. Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

Start date: 30/10/2023

End date:  30/12/2023

3. Work to be performed

a.    Specific Objectives:

The potential international and national consultants will work with WHO technical staff, national consultant and MOH (VAAC, MCH and Global Fund Project for HIV in Viet Nam) to asset the status of EMTCT implementation with special focus on linkage from testing to prophylaxis/treatment.  

b.    Description of the tasks/process involved in carrying out the activity:

b.1. International consultant:

• Work with national consultant to develop protocol and tools for review using Checklist for Country preliminary assessment of EMTCT of HIV and syphilis and Path to Elimination criteria focusing on the coverage of testing and referral to prophylaxis and treatment
• Review national policy and guidelines on elimination of mother to child transmission.
• Work with national consultant and MOH counterparts and review data on EMTCT
• Participate in the TWG meeting and facilitate discussion on the plan for review
• Conduct field visit together with national consultant and MOH counterparts in selected provinces to collect data and interview key informants (e.g. health care providers, PW, mothers who had HIV, HBV and syphilis tested positive during pregnant).
• Review data and develop summary on the findings
• Share assessment results and proposed recommendations and facilitate discussion in a stakeholder meeting
• Consolidate the inputs from stakeholders and development report on the EMTCT assessment 
• Submit report to WHO and MOH for review and finalize the report.

b.2. National consultant:

• Coordinate with key stakeholder and lead the technical working group meeting to discuss on protocol for the review
• Work with international consultant to develop protocol and tools for the EMTCT assessment
• Work with international consultant and MOH counterparts to review the national policy and review data on EMTCT
• Participate in the TWG meeting and facilitate discussion on the plan for review
• Conduct field visit together with international consultant, MOH counterpart in selected provinces to collect data and interview key informants (health care providers, PW, mothers who had HIV, HBV and syphilis tested positive during pregnant).
• Together with international consultant review data and develop summary on the findings
• Lead the discussion on the primary findings and collect inputs/feedback from stakeholders discussion in a consultation stakeholder meeting
• Consolidate the inputs from stakeholders and development report on the EMTCT assessment 
• Submit report to WHO and MOH for review and finalize the report.

c.    Methodology

The consultant will work with WHO technical staff and MOH counterpart in development of the assessment plan and data collection tools, conduct field data collection, review data, consult the results with stakeholders and development report including proposed recommendation for improvement.

d.   Output/s

Output 1:

Deliverable 1.1: Assessment plan and data collection tools (English and Vietnamese). 

Output 2:

• Deliverable 2.1: A set of slide presentations of the EMTCT assessment, findings and recommendations (English and Vietnamese).
• Deliverable 2.2: A two-page summary brief of the EMTCT assessment with a set of clear recommendations for the MOH (English and Vietnamese).
• Deliverable 2.3: Final report on the findings of the EMTCT assessment including background, method, findings, recommendations for improvement (English and Vietnamese).

4. Specific requirements

Qualifications required:  

• International consultant: Must have university degree on medicine, public health or social science is required and advanced university degree in medicine, public health or relevant areas.
• National consultant: Must have university degree on medicine, public health or social science. Having advanced university degree in medicine, public health or relevant areas is desirable.

Experience required:

- International consultant:

• Having at least 10 years of working experiences in the areas of HIV, hepatitis and STIs or sexual and reproductive health
• Having experiences in project/programme evaluation/review
• Have experiences in the field of prevention of mother to child transmission
• Having experiences in review/assessment of EMTCT programme is an asset.
• Able to travel to other provinces when required during the contract period
• Ability to plan and prioritise challenging workloads.
• Good teamwork
  

- National consultant:

• Having at least 10 years of working experiences in the areas of HIV, hepatitis and STIs or sexual and reproductive health
• Have good experiences in the national EMTCT programme
• Have good experiences in national programme on HIV, hepatitis and STIs is desirable    
  

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

- International consultant:

• Demonstrated strong capacity in programme evaluation especially HIV, hepatitis and STIs.
• Demonstrated writing technical documents
• Good knowledge on HIV, HBV and syphilis especially prevention of mother to child transmission.
• Capacity to work with various stakeholders and produce results in given timeframe
• Able to travel to Hanoi and to other provinces when required during the contract period
• Ability to plan and prioritise challenging workloads.
• Good teamwork

- National consultant:

• Demonstrated strong technical skills and knowledge on HIV, hepatitis and STIs.
• Good knowledge on prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV, HBV and syphilis.
• Good understanding of health system and services delivery with the regards to HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs in Viet Nam.
• Good capacity to work with various stakeholders including MOH, provincial and district health authorities.
• Able to travel to other provinces when required during the contract period
• Ability to plan and prioritise challenging workloads.
• Good teamwork

Language requirements:

• International consultant: English native speaker or equivalent and expert in writing.
• National consultant: Excellent in communication and writing in Vietnamese and good at speaking and writing in English

Competencies

• Fostering integration and teamwork
• Communicating in a credible and effective way
• Producing results
• Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

5. Place of assignment

The consultant can work online but expected to stay in Hanoi for certain period to participate in field visit, meeting with MOH and stakeholders for finalization of the assessment report.

6. Medical clearance:

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

7. Travel:

International consultant: will be requested to travel to Hanoi/Viet Nam if reside outside Viet Nam. The consultant also required to travel to selected provinces for field data collection.

National consultant: The consultant can work online but expected to stay in Hanoi for certain period to participate in field visit, discussion with MOH and stakeholders for finalization of the assessment report.

8. Budget

Please take note of the following when submitting application: the contractor will be responsible for paying taxes, if any.

Those who are interested can submit the following documents:

• Most updated CV and application letter
• Copy of passport
• Copy of education certificates

Please indicate post title and vacancy notice # and should be addressed to:

Administrative Officer
World Health Organization
UN Building, 304 Kim Ma Street
Hanoi, Viet Nam

OR

[email protected]

Before/by 18 October 2023

For further information on this TOR, please contact:

[email protected]