The World Health Organization’s mission: to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. Working through offices in more than 150 countries, WHO staff work side by side with governments and other partners to ensure the highest attainable level of health for all people.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Health Sector Transformation Plan II (2020/2021-2024/25) provides the overarching framework for driving the transformative changes within the health sector. One of its key strategic directions is to advance progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC). In this regard, the Health Extension Program (HEP) – a flagship community-based PHC delivery platform – has been an important vehicle for delivering better health outcomes. Introduced in 2003, HEP has helped improve equitable access to health care for millions of people in Ethiopia. However, in 2019, national assessment of the HEP identified several gaps which if not addressed urgently will weaken the PHC foundations in the country and hamper the momentum towards UHC.

However, there is an urgent need to assess and develop an implementation and investment plan to strengthen the primary health care system i.e., the PHCUs (constituting of the primary hospital, health centers and health posts). In addition, there is an urgent need to effectively strengthen the PHCUs as first responders for emergency and critical care services and establish the referral linkages with other parts of the tiered health system. Finally, given the identified gaps in infrastructure, there is a need to develop a costed roadmap on the physical health infrastructure to deliver on the strategic objectives of HSTP II and leverage on the potential of digital health interventions.

WHO is uniquely placed to support the Ministry of Health in addressing the above-mentioned needs, with the broader objective of strengthening health system resilience and primary health care in Ethiopia. Moreover, the recent partnership between the European Investment Bank (EIB) and WHO to strengthen PHC and renewed efforts to build resilient health systems to face future pandemics in low- and middle-income countries in the WHO Africa region provides the right opportunity.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

The purpose of the consultancy to provide technical support to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and Regional Health Bureaus (RHBs) in Ethiopia to further strengthen primary health care (PHC) approaches.

Description Of Duties

Under the overall guidance and supervision of the WHO Deputy Representative and under the leadership of the Health Systems Advisor in the WHO country office, the incumbent will perform the following functions:

Output 1: Technical support to the FMoH, in consultation with the RHBs, to develop a PHC Implementation and Investment Plan based on an assessment and analysis of critical PHC related needs. In addition, the assessment will also explore the opportunities for the roll-out of digital health interventions with the objective of improving access to quality health services at the primary care level. A prototype of digital intervention will include the use of clinical aids for health workers based on the primary care clinical guidelines.

Deliverable 1.1: Finalized PHC Implementation and Investment Plan

Deliverable 1.2: Digital clinical aid for PHC staff

Deliverable 1.3: Assist in coaching PHC teams/facilitators; follow up assessment and established mechanisms to monitor implementation

Output 2: Technical support to FMoH and RHBs on the operationalization of the Emergency, Injury & Critical Care System Strategic Plan (2021 – 2025) at the primary care level through a review of the current role of PHCUs in emergency preparedness and response, and assessment of the patient referral systems and ambulance services. This will inform the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and guidelines to define the role of PHCUs in emergency preparedness and response. An important output will be the development of an investment plan to build an integrated system to respond to clinical and public health emergencies.

Deliverable 2.1: Review of the current role of PHCUs in emergency preparedness and response, including assessment of the patient referral systems and ambulance services

Deliverable 2.2: Standard operating procedures (SOPs) and guidelines to define the role of PHCUs in emergency preparedness and response

Deliverable 2.3: Investment plan to build an integrated system to respond to clinical and public health emergencies

Output 3: Technical assistance for the development of a costed roadmap for public health infrastructure

Deliverable 3.1: Costed roadmap on national public health infrastructure

Required Qualifications

Education

Essential : First level university degree in health and related areas, public health or health policy.

Desirable : Masters level or above university degree in health and related areas, public health or health policy

Experience

Essential: At least 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the field of health systems, including three years or more of experience at the international level.

Desirable : Experience relating to primary health care, preferably in developing country settings

Functional Knowledge And Skills

• Technical expertise in public health
• Competency in documentation of events and evaluation of programs
• Ability to timely synthesize key components and working groups outputs, analysis of data and writing of reports.

Who Competencies

Teamwork

Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
Producing results
Knowing and managing yourself

Use Of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Working knowledge of French or another WHO official language would be an asset.

OTHER SKILLS (e.g. IT Skills)

• Good analytical (quantitative and qualitative) and writing skills
  Working in a multicultural environment
  Good team player
  Good understanding of UHC concepts and how these can be adapted to developing countries
  Ability to coordinate national and international partners in the area of health financing for UHC.

REMUNERATION

This is a P3 Level (Band B) consultancy with a monthly remuneration of $7,000 and Daily Subsistence Allowance of $209, reduced by half after the first 30 days.