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Qualifications

Background: 

Malawi is in its second year of implementation of its Health Sector Strategic Plan

(HSSPIII) 2023- 2030 whose goal is to improve the health status of all Malawians and increase client satisfaction and financial risk protection towards attainment of Universal Health Coverage. The nine objectives of HSSPIII were developed in the context of the WHO health systems building blocks as nine pillars under: Service delivery, Social Determinants of Health, Infrastructure and Equipment, Human Resources for Health, Medical Products and Technology, Digital Health, Health Research, Leadership and Governance and Health Financing.

The Ministry of Health Quality Management Directorate is finalizing the revision of

the quality management strategy that should align with the HSSPIII goal and the nine objectives/reforms for the period 2025-2030. The HSSPIII service delivery aims to “increase equitable access to and improve quality of health care services to be delivered with three strategies under; Strategy 1.1 Design systems to create integrated platforms of care for primary to tertiary level Strategy 1.2 Promote quality and client safety in health care service delivery across the continuum of care from community to tertiary levels Strategy 1.3 Strengthen client-centered care and patient trust at all levels of the healthcare system.  The National Quality Management Strategy and Operational Framework 2025-2030 will align with HSSPIII nine reforms based on the WHO health systems building blocks and the WHO regional strategies to include the mission of the WHO Collaborating Centres. The Quality Management Strategy will align MoH Directorates and partners towards coordinated delivery of quality essential health services/Health Benefits Package to achieve the HSSPIII outcomes, UHC and SDG 3 targets.

Background to the assignment 

In 2017, the Ministry of Health and implementing partners developed a comprehensive Quality Management Strategy for the Health Sector in Malawi through a participatory multi-stakeholder process. This strategy expired in 2022 hence the need to develop a successor strategy. The MoH has requested financial support from the WHO to recruit a national Consultant to facilitate the development of the national Quality Management Strategy and Operational Framework for 2025-2030.

The Consultant is expected to integrate the experiences and lessons from the previous Quality Management Strategy 2017-2022, the current HSSPIII implementation and to integrate the WHO global and regional guidance based on the WHO Handbook for National Quality Policy and Strategy, a practical approach for developing policy and strategy to  improve quality of care. The Consultant will support the development of a fit-for-purpose strategy that adapts country experiences and learning since the introduction of the quality-of-care Network for the period 2017-2022. The Consultant will integrate global and regional WHO guidance to further establish the National Quality Management Learning Centre at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHES) which aims to promote learning among districts and health facilities, knowledge management, and research and eventually will be developed into a WHO Collaborating Centre.

The objective of the consultancy for the second National Quality Management Strategy and Operational Framework 2025-2030

To facilitate the development of the second Quality Management Strategy and Operational Framework 2025- 2030 using participatory approaches with the National Task Force and stakeholders and to develop the capacity to develop strategic plans within the MoH-Quality Management Directorate and stakeholders.

Scope of work:
1.    Review and finalize the report on the implementation progress of Quality Management Strategy 2017 to 2022 and HSSPIII operationalization period 2023-2024.

2.    Based on the above review, conduct a current situation analysis of the quality-of-care initiatives in Malawi in the context of HSSPIII implementation.

3.  Facilitate consultative meetings to prioritize the quality-of-care interventions in the next Quality Management Strategy to support the achievement of outcomes of      HSSPIII  objectives. This includes benchmarking Quality Management strategies for similar developing countries in the African region.

4.    With the national Task Force, draft the Quality Management Strategy and Operational Framework (2025 – 2030).

5.    Facilitate stakeholders’ validation workshop and costing of the Quality Management Strategy and Operational Framework (2025-2030).

6.    Build capacity in the MoH-Quality Management and Learning Centre at KUHEs in developing a Quality Management Strategy and work closely with the two institutions  throughout the development.

Deliverables

1.    Inception report including a technical development plan for the Quality Management Strategy and Operational Framework 2025-2030 (2 working days)

2.    Situation analysis report based on the previous Quality Management strategy 2017-2022 and the current HSSPIII operationalization and its implementation integral with partners’ support with documented achievements, challenges, lessons, and recommendations (8 working days)

3.    Draft national Quality Management Strategy and Operational Framework (2025 – 2030) drafted with the National Task Force and validated by stakeholders (15 working days)

4.    Final costed national Quality Management Strategy and Operational Framework 2025-2030 (5 working days)

Educational Qualifications

Essential: A Bachelor’s degree in Medicine or a bachelor’s degree in Nursing or other related Science degree course.

Desirable: Advanced education in health-related fields; Public Health, Health Systems Management, or Quality and Safety in Health Care. An advanced degree in Quality Care. Health services will be an added advantage.

Experience

Essential: A minimum of 7 years’ experience in the development of health sector strategies including implementation of integrated quality of care and health systems strengthening interventions.

Desirable: Good sound knowledge of the health sector policy environment in Malawi and the WHO regional and global guidance on various health programs.  Experience in training/orientation, planning, and delivery of technical assistance is also required.

Skills/Knowledge

·         Ability to use Microsoft products: MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

·         Ability to analyze both qualitative and quantitative data and write analytical reports.

·         Previous experience working as a consultant with stakeholders’ engagement and facilitating meetings and workshops.

Languages and levels required

Essential: Expert knowledge (written and spoken fluency) of English.

Technical Supervision

The National Consultant will be supervised by WHO Malawi Health Systems Coordinatorin collaboration with the Technical Officer: Quality of Health Service Delivery based in the Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO).

Remuneration

Based on the qualifications and experience outlined in the Terms of Reference, the consultant will be recruited at the NO.C level.

Additional information

       WHO has zero-tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

        WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

The selected candidates will be contacted to provide certified documents.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements