Consultant to Organize and facilitate a study visit to observe pre-and in-service clinical training approaches in Nepal

Background

USAID awarded the five-year Cooperative Agreement (Cooperative Agreement No. 72043921CA00001) from 2021 – 2026 for the Laos Maternal Child Health Nutrition Activity (LMCHN) to JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI). 

The USAID LMCHN project covers 5 Provinces (Phongsaly, Oudomxay, Savannakhet, Saravane, Sekong), 24 districts and more than 1,600 villages. The LMCHN team works with more than 180 health facilities, 650 health workers, more than 1,600 village health committees and 4,300 village health workers. 

The USAID LMCHN project contributes to the implementation and delivery of USAID’s Laos Health Strategy (2019 – 2023) in support of its development objective of “Laos has improved health and education systems that foster a healthier and more productive population” and embedding the programming priorities of focusing on the major health needs of the most vulnerable populations; collaborating with other existing USAID and USG development assistant projects and avoiding programmatic and geographic duplication with other development partners. LMCHN ensures that the principles of equity, quality, and resource optimization of USAID’s Health System Strengthening 2030 vision are embedded in the delivery of all activities. 
 

Purpose and Objectives of Consultancy

Improving clinical skills and practice of frontline primary health care workers is a key objective of the Laos MCHN (LMCHN) project. There are several strategies that the LMCHN project will put in place to improve the clinical quality and effectiveness of care at the district and health centre (HC) level. These strategies include: (i) ensuring that district and HC staff have received training on the essential skills they need to provide quality maternal newborn, child health and nutrition (MNCHN) care through the roll-out of IMNCI and integrated maternal child health and nutrition (M3) training and (ii) continuing to strengthen skills of district and HC staff by quarterly clinical supportive supervision visits between the district hospital/health office and the HC. 

To further improve clinical care that is evidence-based and effective, the LMCHN project would like to support a small number of provincial hospitals to become Learning Labs (or centres of excellence – COE). The Learning Lab (LL) will be a training centre providing competency-based, low-dose high frequency training and clinical and non-clinical skills development, for health care providers working in Provincial and District Hospitals. The LL approach is built upon and supports operationalization of the Ministry of Health’s 5G1S policy to improve quality by developing the capacity of Provincial LLs to provide clinical skills training and mentor district level facilities to implement high-quality clinical care and create strong supportive linkages between the health facilities. 

There is very little experience of competency-based training in Laos using low-dose high frequency approach and LMCHN will support a study visit of key Lao stakeholders to Nepal to learn from the Nepal experience in implementing these approaches as part of pre- and in-service training, continuous professional development and medical licensure.

The objective of the STTA it to work with the Nepal Simulation Society and key stakeholders such as the Ministry and Department of Health, Medical Universities and Professional Associations to take lead responsibility in preparing all technical components of the study visit and provide a facilitation role during the study visit. Administrative and logistical support will be provided by the World Education Office in Nepal.  

The consultancy will include the following outcomes:

Successful preparation for the study visit including:
– Pre-visits to study sites
– First draft of an annotated agenda for comments from JSI, World Education and the Simulation Society 
The annotated agenda should include but not limited to: schedule, short introductory background of study sites and of the activity, key objectives to be met during each study sites, names / positions of people to be met, accommodation, lunch and dinner venues
– Final version of annotated agenda to be submitted for translation to Lao at least one month prior to the study visit
– Support to the preparation and review of powerpoint presentations to be made at study sites and submitted for translation to Lao at least one month prior to the study visit

Successful facilitation of the study visit including:
– Provide a pre-briefing to participants before each study site visit
– Accompany participants to all study site visits
– Assist in any trouble shooting for any problems that may arise

Successful finalization of the study visit including:
– Submission of draft study visit report (format to be provided) for comments by JSI
– Submission of final study visit report
– Submission of any invoices, receipts and vouchers for payment

Required Qualifications

?    Bachelor Degree in health-related area
?    Public Health professional with experience of clinical pre- and in-service training for health workers
?    Familiar with the work of the Simulation Society in Nepal
?    Has key contacts in the Ministry and Department of Health, Central Hospitals, Professional Associations, Medical Council in Nepal

Application Submission: Please submit a resume/CV and cover letter to maggie_burkhardt@jsi.com by September 25, 2024. Questions are due to the same email by September 20, 2024. The full scope of work is attached.

Full Scope of Work

Date Issued: September 13, 2024 12:00 am
Due Date: September 25, 2024 1:19 pm EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST)

View All Consultancies