Anticipated Timeframe: 1 month circa**
Location: Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan
Since 2017, funding to support mass drug administration (MDA) for schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH) was secured by Sightsavers from GiveWell, to deliver deworming activities in five countries (Cameroon, DRC, Nigeria, Guinea and Guinea Bissau) across West and Central Africa. Due to high quality implementation and effective monitoring/evaluation, reported coverage for each country has often exceed the 75% WHO minimum treatment coverage benchmark, thus making Sightsavers’ deworming programmes highly performant.
The scope of work will focus on mass drug administration with praziquantel for Schistosomiasis and albendazole/mebendazole for soil-transmitted helminthiasis, primarily targeting school aged children. GiveWell is cause neutral. As such the costs per school age child treated is the determining factor in their funding decisions. Therefore, although complementary activities may be desirable, they can only be considered where the costs per school age child remain permissive.
We intend to engage three Consultants with relevant expertise across our target countries Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan.
The Consultants will:
- Collect and synthesize in-depth information on the SCH/STH landscape pertaining to their region, Cote d’Ivoire, or DRC, or Sudan.
Outputs to be delivered by each Consultant:
1- Data Requirements:
- Historical (from baseline) to present status of the following epidemiological records:
- Country profile of NTDs.
- District/subdistrict level endemicity data of SCH/STH (prevalence and intensity).
- Co-endemicity map of LF/STH and confirmation of co-endemic IUs where LF MDA has ended but STH treatments still required.
- Narrative reports of all parasitological surveys (baseline, sentinel site and baseline reassessment) and funding source(s).
- An update of SCH/STH mapping needs, if any.
- Comparative analysis of ESPEN/MoH epidemiological and demographic (population) data, highlighting compatibility and discrepancies.
- Confirm previous JAP applications.
- SCH subdistrict analysis (including updates on environmental assessment data) and confirmation of ESPEN support/validation of subdistrict outputs if applicable.
- WASH data (JMP indicators) in SCH/STH areas target for MDA.
2- Programme requirements:
- Historical and contemporary treatment records of SCH/STH and LF, highlighting coverage rates, MDA platforms used by country and number of treatment rounds delivered.
- Scope of SCH/STH MDA coverage and areas/reasons for implementation gaps
- Health Management Information Systems used for SCH/STH, and confirmation of digital monitoring platforms available to MoH for programming.
- Status of recent JAP files and inventory of praziquantel and mebendazole/albendazole at IU level.
- School map by implementation unit, highlighting enrolment for school aged children
- Background of country supply chain system for NTDs and highlights of drug supply issues/mitigation measures if any.
- National policy/expectations on deworming in schools/communities.
- Change in treatment modalities based on changes in prevalence or intensity of infection, for example surveillance after stopping MDA.
3- Partner/funding landscape
- Identification of local and international partners who support mass administration of public health measures (such as deworming, vitamin A, vaccination), including details of funding years and geographical areas they support.
- Status of existing SCH/STH funding and confirmation of funding interruption if observed at any point.
Ways of Working
To facilitate access to data, candidates are expected to:
- Collaborate with Sightsavers country and UK offices and ESPEN to ease access to information. Formal introductory letters will be issued by Sightsavers Country Directors to MoH and other stakeholders.
- Attend weekly calls with Sightsavers SCH/STH GTL to monitor progress.
Required skills and expertise of the bidder**
- Medical doctor or biomedical scientist, with at least a master’s degree in public health or equivalent in the medical field.
- Skills in analysis of NTD Programme data and planning of technical interventions for control and elimination of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases.
- Field knowledge of lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis and trachoma an added advantage.
Experience
- Comprehensive knowledge of SCH/STH and experience in PC-NTDs;
- Experience with laboratory or field components of SCH/STH;
- A minimum of 5 years’ experience working in clinical or public health sector;
- Excellent interpersonal communication, participatory skills and a team player
- Work experience in African countries will be an added advantage;
- Excellent knowledge of the language of the target country and ability to report landscape findings in English
Consultants with a proven track records in the above will be procured to undertake the project through an expression of interest process.
Full details of the project, Scope of Work, Outputs/ Deliverables and budgets can be found within the attached ToR**
How to express your interest:
To express your interest to undertake this assignment, please read the complete ToR, complete our Expression of Interest (EoI) and Budget Template which can be found via the application link by 13 February 2022.
Interested bidders are also requested to include an example of previous similar work.
We anticipate that interviews will be held the week commencing 21 February 2022.
Expressions of interest should only be made using the forms provided.
As an equal opportunity Employer, we actively encourage EoI’s from all sections of the community. Qualified people living with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.