Organization: UNICEF – United Nations Children’s Fund
Location: Remote | Nairobi
Grade: Consultancy – Consultant – Contractors Agreement
Occupational Groups:
Public Health and Health Service
Information Technology and Computer Science
Closing Date: 2024-11-20
As part of the system-strengthening approach, the health section of the UNICEF Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa (ESARO) intends to help countries extend immunization services to regularly reach under-immunized and zero-dose children through technical assistance to countries to adapt existing or introduce new, digital health interventions to collect, visualize and use health and immunization data for better decision making and planning. The Regional Digital Health Consultant will facilitate UNICEF’s Regional Office (ESARO) to identify and prioritize digital health investment opportunities at regional and national level, in collaboration with MOH and partners, and in liaison with HQ (DICE and Health PG).
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
For every child, health.
Background and Justification
Digital health is a broad multidisciplinary concept that embraces intersections between technology and healthcare. The scope of digital health includes mobile health (mHealth), electronic health records (EHRs), electronic medical records (EMRs), digitized health information systems and real-time monitoring of health services and systems, tracking and monitoring of medical supplies and equipment through the supply chain, wearable devices, telehealth, and telemedicine, as well as personalized medicine.
In recent years, country demand for global guidelines and deployment support for digital health has increased, following the experiences and lessons learned from digital health interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing access to information, and increasing digital literacy alongside a concurrently widening digital divide. As part of UNICEF’s new Strategic Plan, Programme Group (PG) Health created the Digital Health & Information Systems (DH&IS) unit under the Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Section (MNCAH). DH&IS supports the use of digital health interventions and data to strengthen programmes across all sections in the Health PG.
Scope of Work
Under the overall supervision of the Health / HSS Specialist (HSS/PHC) the Regional Digital Health Consultant will facilitate UNICEF’s Regional Office (ESARO) to identify and prioritize digital health investment opportunities at regional and national level, in collaboration with MOH and partners, and in liaison with HQ (DICE and Health PG).
Goal and objective: Under the overall supervision of the Health / HSS Specialist (HSS/PHC) the Regional Digital Health Consultant will facilitate UNICEF’s Regional Office (ESARO) to identify and prioritize digital health investment opportunities at regional and national level, in collaboration with MOH and partners, and in liaison with HQ (DICE and Health PG).
Specific support includes
preparation of situation / landscape analysis, production of digital health investment cases that are aligned with digitally enabled health roadmaps and health emergency response plans, and support to identified countries for design, deployment, and documentation of digital health solutions.
provide coordination support, technical assistance, and oversight of activities intended to advance the UNICEF global digital heath strategic guidance framework in the region
assist countries in documenting, disseminating, and integrating digital technologies into the national health system and primary health care.
consolidate updates from countries, strengthen regional monitoring mechanisms of digital health activities, and disseminate information to appropriate stakeholders, including senior management and partners.
Provide details/reference to AWP areas covered:
Health – Output 1: Partnership: Regional and relevant global partnerships (AU, RMNCH, H6, GAVI, GPEI, WHO, UNDG, China-Africa, GFATM, MRI etc.) leveraged to support delivery of results around the regional priorities.
Health – Output 2: Support countries, with focus on those with high un-immunized children to improve immunization coverage and equity through I) technical assistance and guidance to design and implementation of strategies to reduce the number unvaccinated zero-dose children; ii) Support EPI recovery efforts from impact of COVID-19;
T4D: Output 2: Technical assistance to countries to develop national health information systems roadmaps, strategies, policies and/or standards. To harmonize and align Community Health Information Systems (CHIS) strengthening efforts with national strategies/policies; integrate CHIS service delivery data into national routine HMIS/DHIS2; and support remote learning platforms.
Activities and Tasks: Specific activities include:
Conduct a comprehensive assessment of technical assistance demand, requirements, and current status in ESAR.
Prepare an analysis/report with recommendations for coordinating and scaling support to build capacity for quality technical assistance in digital health programs across ESAR.
Provide technical support to enhance sustainable digital health systems in ESAR countries, focusing on program design, monitoring, and quality assurance.
Review and analyze digital health inventories, including UNICEF’s invent.unicef.org and other regional mapping tools. Leverage existing work by UNICEF and partners to establish a baseline for evaluating digital systems for common use cases, public health emergencies, and health system strengthening. Identify data gaps in the invent.unicef.org database and conduct additional mapping as needed, integrating findings back into the inventory.
Conduct a desk review of self-reported data, data pipelines, and reporting processes on digital health readiness from ESAR countries, using the Global Digital Health Monitor. The goal is to streamline, strengthen, and address gaps in reporting.
Contribute to regional and country office resource mobilization, and integration of digital health priorities into national planning and budgeting exercises.
Document best practices and evidence generation for digital health, develop knowledge products, and organize workshops/webinars/learning sessions within UNICEF. Promote a community of practice on Digital Health in collaboration with the UNICEF global digital health community.
Participate in regular meetings to provide updates and share insights and reflections on country digital health programmes coordination and implementation.
Work relationships: The consultant will report directly to the HSS Specialist (HSS/PHC), ESARO Health section, but will liaise regularly with the Regional T4D Manager and global DH&IS team. Other important relationships will be with the digital health focal points in each ESAR Country Office, the T4D leads and Digital Health Hub in the Office of Innovation.
Outputs/Deliverables:
The consultant will be required to produce the outputs as specified below.
#
Deliverables (SMART)
Duration
(Est. # of days)
Deadline
1
A summary analysis of the situation, gaps, opportunities, challenges, and priorities of Digital Health in ESAR, including analysis of key indicators to track the maturity of the enabling environment, leadership, governance, policy, and overall ecosystem maturity in a form of a dynamic PPT.
10 days
30 Nov
2
An analytical report on technical assistance demand, requirements, and status for all 21 ESAR countries. Include recommendations for coordinating and scaling support to enhance capacity for quality technical assistance across the region.
15 days
31 Dec
3
A Regional (ESAR) specific DH guidance paper based on the findings from the Digital Health landscape assessment, and broader DH guidance frameworks including:
Prioritization and alignment of Digital Health investments with country program goals and work plans.
Standardized approaches and best practices for designing Digital Health investments and overall architecture.
Funding and sustainability considerations for Digital Health.
35 days
30 Feb
4
A quarterly report on general digital health technical assistance provided to at least 5 prioritized countries per quarter. Key areas of priority assistance include.
extending immunization services to regularly reach under-immunized and zero-dose children,
interoperable health systems – especially establishment of national level, standards-based eHealth architecture building blocks such as geo-referenced master facility lists, provider and patient lists, terminology, and other services.
Maternal, newborn and child health
primary health care digital toolkits for community health workers – including fully functional and updated community health worker master lists etc.
45 days
31 Oct
5
Report with recommendations and support provided to all 21 countries in ESAR on data pipelines, and reporting processes on digital health readiness using the Global Digital Health Monitor.
15 days
30 Apr
6
Report with support provided to regional office and countries with resource mobilization, providing inputs into proposals for GAVI Full Portfolio Planning (FPP), Global Fund, Mastercard Foundation, and other donor mechanisms.
15 days
31 May
7
Report on regional and country virtual and other digital health capacity building activities and skills transfer activities, trainings and webinars provided including coordination of at least one regional Digital Health Planning National Systems Course (DHPNS) designed by WHO, UNICEF, ITU, USAID, Digital Square, TechChange, and Last Mile Health
15 days
30 Jul
8
A mapping of existing coordination mechanisms for digital health and proposal/recommendations of how UNICEF ESAR offices should be involved.
15 days
31 Aug
9
Overall final consultancy report
20 days
31 Oct
TOTAL
185 days
Minimum Qualification required:
Advanced university degree (Master’s) or equivalent professional experience in health informatics, public health/medicine, development studies, geography, economics or related field is required. A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
Knowledge/Experience/ Expertise required:
Minimum 8 years of work experience at the international and/or national level in digital health, especially on the deployment of information systems and digital solutions.
Experience in providing technical assistance and thought leadership surrounding the design and implementation of digital solutions for health system strengthening, routine immunization, community health information systems, and use of geospatial solutions for health programmes, including application of recommended Health Information System architectures and standards.
Knowledge and experience in community health/primary health care programmes is essential.
Experience designing and supporting digital health projects with Governments (esp. Ministries of Health).
Experience with project management and proven ability to translate complex ideas from various areas into unified, clear guidance.
Additional Experience and Knowledge:
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Extensive experience working with the digital health/e-Health community.
Knowledge and experience with a multitude of digital platforms, including DHIS2, OpenMRS, RapidPRO, iHRIS, OpenHIE, MoTECH, CommCare, OpenSRP, etc
Knowledge and experience working with GIS tools such as ESRI / ArcGIS, QGIS, MapBox, etc.
Familiarity with open-source technology
Ability to work in a team and in a diverse work environment.
Exposure to UNICEF, UN or other INGO programmatic areas, including (but not limited to) health, nutrition, child protection and/or education, and experience in applying technical solutions to address programmatic issues is an asset.
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language, especially French, is considered as an asset.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
HOW TO APPLY
Qualified candidates are requested to submit the following documents:
Cover letter describing motivation for the consultancy and relevant experience.
Expression of interest (EOI) demonstrating understanding of the terms of reference and proposing the consultant’s approach to the assignment.
Curriculum Vitae
Lump sum / Quoted fees/ Financial Proposal for the assignment in US$ (all-inclusive including travel costs and fees)
CONDITIONS
The consultant selected will be governed by, and subject to, UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts. The work can be performed remotely/home-based. All products and data developed and collected for this agreement are the intellectual property of UNICEF. The consultant(s) may not publish or disseminate the final report, or any other document produced from this work without the express permission and acknowledgement of UNICEF.
UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.
The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.