GBLCAREERS

A major public health issue in ESA region, cholera is now endemic in at least half of the region’s countries. Along with acute watery diarrhoea, it is threatening the lives of refugees, urban dwellers, migrant communities, adults and children alike. Left unchecked and untreated it is killing stricken children within hours. This is especially so for young children already vulnerable and weakened by malnutrition. As of August 2016, more than 36,000 cholera cases were reported from 9 countries in ESAR with an overall case fatality ration (CFR) of 1.6 %, accounting for 66 % of all cases reported in the African WHO Region. Four countries represented about 75 % of all cases in Africa, of which three are located in ESAR: Ethiopia (28 %), Tanzania (15%) and Kenya (11 %).

The ESAR regional cholera strategy concerns preparing and responding to cholera better and faster, for reduced likelihood of cholera outbreaks and greater success with response. It is also designed to improve the added value of each partner’s contributions and geographic scope, and to engage wider society in a call to end cholera. The strategy aims to achieve three things: ensure the timely containment and control of all outbreaks, in all contexts, effectively and efficiently; significantly reduce the burden on communities and public health systems; and stop the spread of cholera across borders. This will be achieved through the deployment of 7 major pillars:

• National Plans development
• Capacity building
• Social and behaviour change communication
• Information Management and monitoring
• Regional Coordination and Cross-border Collaboration
• Knowledge Management and operational Research
• Advocacy and harnessing social movements to end cholera

This consultancy aims at setting up the ‘information management and monitoring’ pillar which focuses on establishing functional information management systems across targeted countries and at regional level through the following activities:

• Contribute to strengthening of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) systems at national level and regularly collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate Cholera epidemiological data and information for policy and decision making at national and regional levels;
• Regular production and dissemination of Cholera information, situation reports and bulletins (similar to the Joint Initiative on Cholera in Southern Africa (JICSA) and the Cholera WCA bulletins to partners within the region);
• Initiate, and support analytical epidemiological studies on risk factors, transmissions pathways, hot spots and trends of recent Cholera outbreaks in the Region;

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Scope of Work

• Goal and Objective: Under the supervision of the WASH in Emergencies specialist, the consultant will setup functional cholera information management systems across targeted countries and at regional level
• Provide details/reference to AWP areas covered: This consultancy pertains to activity 28 of 240R/A0/09/002/008/007 which consists of ‘the support to the implementation of the Regional Cholera strategy in collaboration with the Health and C4D sections’
• Activities and Tasks:
• Design a cholera information management system for the collection and dissemination of Cholera epidemiological data and other cholera-related information;
• Collect, control and store in a web-based common repository Geographical data sets of interest (background layers; hydrology, infrastructure, elevation, administrative and health units) at national and regional data as well as non-geographical data (i.e. place names in tabular format).
• Contribute to the development of key national strategic documents against cholera (action plan, road map, strategy) in three (3) targeted countries;
• Support there (3) countries to develop a national IM capacity building plan
• Support three country offices to establish an information sharing system for cross-border collaboration at national and decentralized levels: Contacts directory, e-platform, etc.
• Conduct information harmonization in order to integrate epidemiological and geographical data (i.e. administrative units, health districts) supporting epidemiological and geographical analysis.
• Create cartographic outputs with incidence, epidemiological and background information
• Produce a bi-monthly (two per month) cholera situation report for the Region;
• Conduct mapping of epidemiological basins and hot spots, based on available information from the Region and participating country offices;
• Setup and update an ESAR cholera web platform;
• Contribute to various Regional reports on cholera when required and produce maps and graphics as needed;
• Design a standard monitoring system for cholera preparedness and response in UNICEF country offices and sectorial groups (WASH, Health, C4D):
• Production of a matrix to follow up the level of preparedness in country;
• Production of maps and graphics related to the level of preparedness;
• Development and implementation of a 4W matrix;
• Development and implementation of an information system to follow up indicators of response’s quality
• Work relationships: Within UNICEF, the consultant will work closely with the regional office health and C4D sections as well as with cholera focal points in country offices. The consultant will also engage with relevant external partners such as WHO, IFRC, CDC and National Ministries of Health.
• Outputs/Deliverables:

Deliverables

Duration

(Estimated # of days or months)

Timeline/Deadline

Schedule of payment

Report and power point presentation on the proposed information management system

4 weeks

End of Month 1

Mid-Month 2

Monitoring system for national cholera preparedness/response and cross-border information management system

4 weeks

End of Month 2

Mid-Month 3

National IM capacity building plan for three countries

4 weeks

End of Month 3

Mid-Month 4

ESAR Cholera Web-platform

2 weeks

End of Month 4

Mid-Month 5

Bi-monthly cholera bulletins

5 weeks

Every two weeks starting in month 2 of consultancy

Embedded in monthly payments

Inputs for the development of 3 key national strategic documents

4 weeks

End of Month 5

Mid-Month 6

Inputs to Regional Reports and mapping of ‘basins’ and ‘hotspots’

2 weeks

throughout

Embedded in monthly payments

Final Report

1 week

End of Month 6

Mid-Month 7

Payment Schedule

Payments will be made in six (6) instalments upon completion of deliverables as shown in the table above.

Desired competencies, technical background and experience

• Advanced university degree or equivalent experience in library or geographic sciences, including information technology and statistics. A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• Minimum five years of progressively responsible professional work experience in humanitarian aid/development including several years in developing countries.
• Minimum 2 years experience in the management of spatial and non-spatial databases, preferably with either the UN and/or NGOs
• Ability to develop systems and tools to present information in multiple formats, including mapping tools such as GIS
• Preferred knowledge on the multi-sectorial strategies on cholera in terms of preparedness, response, prevention and risk reduction
• Fluency in English (verbal and written).

Administrative issues

The consultant will work under direct supervision and guidance of the WASH in Emergencies Specialist and in coordination with the Health and C4D emergencies specialists.

The WASH IM will be based in UNICEF ESARO premises in Nairobi, Kenya

Conditions

The consultant will be provided with office space but will be expected to bring his/her own equipment at the ESARO office in Nairobi.

As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made against approved deliverables. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 per cent of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.

The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts