Background

While the Solomon Islands have made inroads towards reducing child mortality, there is still significant work to be done. A key intervention the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) is implementing to reduce child mortality and morbidity is the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI).

IMCI is an integrated approach to child health that focuses on the well-being of the whole child. IMCI aims to reduce death, illness and disability, and to promote improved growth and development among children under five years of age. IMCI includes both preventive and curative elements that are implemented by families and communities as well as by health facilities.

The strategy includes three main components:

• Improving case management skills of health-care staff
• Improving overall health systems
• Improving family and community health practices.

A cornerstone of IMCI strategy remains a set of clinical guidelines for management of childhood illness at first level health facilities. The first version of these guidelines was completed in 1995.

The implementation of the strategy and guidelines has achieved impressive results both in reducing childhood mortality and in improving the quality of life of children all over the world. Nevertheless a number of challenges related to IMCI implementation remain. The key challenges are:

• Need to ensure availability of scientific evidence to support global IMCI guidelines
• Ensuring periodical updates of national and sub-national IMCI guidelines
• Need to respond to new and emerging threats to child health
• Translate the latest technical information into knowledge and skills of thousands and thousands of health care providers (training and performance maintenance)

IMCI Computerized Adaptation and Training Tool (ICATT) was developed by WHO Child and Adolescent Health and Development department (CAH) and the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development (NFSD) to address some of these challenges.

Tasks

Under the guidance of the WHO Representative and in collaboration with the MHMS Reproductive Child Health Division Directorate:

1. Build competency of the National IMCI Coordinator and the Child Health Information Officer to use the ICAAT program
2. Using a capacity building model, work with the IMCI Coordinator and Child Health Information Officer to update the Solomon Islands IMCI package
3. Build overall capacity of the National IMCI coordinator to develop and implement a plan for Provincial rollout of IMCI, including Provincial training centres and follow up training for supervisors
4. Undertake consultations with educational institutions to design how ICAAT will be  institutionalized  

Outputs

• Updated Solomon Islands IMCI package in line with WHO best practice evidence and country context
• 2x National RCH Division staff competent to use ICAAT
• Completed IMCI Implementation Plan

Timeline

• It is expected that the outputs above will be delivered over a three month period starting 1st September – 30th November 2016                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Guidance

• The STC will work as part of WR Solomon Islands team with technical guidance from WHO Country Office as well from the Pacific NCD and health through the life course (PNH) Division of Pacific Technical Support (DPS) in Suva, Fiji.

Deliverables

• A monthly STC report (bullet points of major tasks) will be submitted to the supervisors for approval
• Performance reviews will be conducted midway and at the end of the contract.

Required profile of the consultant

Skills

• Knowledge of and experience working in IMCI
• Knowledge of and experience working in ICAAT
• Knowledge of and experience working collaboratively and cross culturally with government and development partners
• Knowledge of and experience in communicating complex technical concepts for knowledge sharing

Education

• An undergraduate degree in health or a health related field is required
• A postgraduate degree in a health related discipline is desirable

Experience

• Minimum five years’ experience in ICAAT training

• Minimum  five years’ experience supporting IMCI program  implementation

Languages

• Written and spoken fluency in English is essential

Competencies

• Communicating in a credible, effective, and culturally competent way
• Producing results
• Moving forward in a changing environment
• Fostering integration and teamwork
• Building and promoting cross-sectoral partnerships across the organization and beyond

Interested should submit the the following documents to  [email protected]  by 7 October 2016. Please use Tender Notice No. 50060 as subject to all submissions. This is a re-advertisement, reference previous Tender Notice No. 47225.

• Expression of interest (cover letter) that includes proposed consultancy fee (per day) and availability
• WHO personal history form or CV

Please note that the application may be closed before the indicated closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. Only successful candidates will be contacted