Purpose of consultancy:
National Individual contract to conduct Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) Country Analysis
Scope of work:
(Description of services, activities, or outputs)
Background
Ending preventable maternal deaths is one of the three transformative results UNFPA aims to achieve by 2030. Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) is an established sound and robust system to identify preventable maternal deaths and guide actions to avert avoidable factors. MPDSR is a form of continuous surveillance that links the health information systems and quality improvement processes from local to national levels. It permits the routine identification, notification, quantification and determination of causes of all maternal and perinatal deaths, preparing response plans, implementing those plans into actions and continuing to monitor to see the improvement of maternal and perinatal health. MPDSR is a critical system required to achieve the transformative result to end preventable maternal deaths at the country level.
Purpose and methodology
Over the last fifteen years, the global maternal mortality ratio has been reduced significantly (by 43%) from 385 to 216 deaths per 100,000 live births. However, it continues to be a public health challenge in low resource countries. The Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) is a crucial intervention for reducing maternal mortality; to prevent future maternal deaths, improve the measurement of mortality and respond to calls for ending preventable deaths better measurement and better information will be required. MPDSR global technical guidelines were published in 2021, focusing on step by step guidance, relevant to establishing a framework to assess the burden of maternal deaths, stillbirths and neonatal deaths, including trends in numbers and causes of death and how to link maternal and perinatal death reviews. Several countries are implementing MPDSR and the implementation ranges across different scales and modalities in the Asia Pacific region. Moreover, coverage of implementation in this region also varies from country to country. As MPDSR in countries of the Asia-Pacific region contributes towards the achievement of SDG goals 3.1, there is a timely need to identify the enablers, best practices, gaps and challenges in the implementation of MPDSR that could bring an avenue to accelerate the MPDSR system in this region. Furthermore, there is a specific need to synchronize MPDSR global guidance in practice and tracking maternal and perinatal deaths.
Considering the above, the UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Office has begun a research and capacity building programme of work on MPDSR strengthening, in the context of a regional programme on “Strengthening Data and Accountability Systems for Advocacy and Action on Sexual and Reproductive Health” in Asia Pacific. Six countries of the region (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste) will be supported in conducting a Situational Analysis of the status of MPDSR in their country, using a specific analytical framework developed by UNFPA APRO.
To support this work, UNFPA Timor-Leste country office is seeking a national consultant to conduct country-level interviews, focus groups and other analyses to identify and document the enablers, best practices, gaps, challenges and next steps of MPDSR implementation at country level, with an aim to improve the MPDSR system. The selected consultant will be expected to conduct this qualitative analysis for an expected 25 working days.
Main responsibilities:
- Identify key MPDSR stakeholders at national and subnational level, and prepare a key informants dataset;
- Prepare a detailed plan for interviews and focus groups, to be shared with the SRH team in Timor-Leste for validation;
- Support the Timor-Leste UNFPA office and APRO in the organisation of a Stakeholders meeting, to present research scope and components of the analysis to technical and ministerial counterparts;
- Using the UNFPA-developed Quality Interviews Guideline (which will be provided to the selected consultant), collect data through key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, or workshops (as appropriate);
- Coordinate with the MPDSR focal point in Ministry of Health, MPDSR focal point in UNFPA country office, MPDSR specialist in APRO and other relevant stakeholders;
- Synthesis and analysis of the qualitative data;
- Prepare a report based on qualitative analysis findings;
- Presenting the final draft report to the Timor-Leste and APRO SRH Teams.
Duration and working schedule:
25 working days starting from the signing of the Consultancy contract and up to August 2022.
Place where services are to be delivered:
Home based – The individual consultant will work independently from home, with participation in stakeholders’ meetings taking place in-person, or any required travel for conducting interviews.
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):
The selected consultant will provide the following deliverables to the UNFPA country office and regional office:
- A detailed report on qualitative analysis of MPDSR, using the developed Qualitative Guidelines checklist
- A brief synopsis of the report addressing country-level action plan based on the findings;
- A data set (transcriptions/audio records of any interview, other data as used in the analysis, Key informant datasets).
- All deliverables are to be provided in English
Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:
An initial meeting will be held with the supervisor in UNFPA Country office and APRO to agree on the workplan. Weekly virtual meetings will be held with the supervisor and relevant staff, as required. Approval of consultancy deliverables is done by UNFPA.
Supervisory arrangements:
The consultant will work in close collaboration with the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) of the Ministry of Health, under the direct supervision of the RH Program Analyst at UNFPA Timor-Leste and overall guidance of UNFPA SRHR-HIV Programme Specialist.
Expected travel:
TBC based on Requirements for interviews and meetings in country.
Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:
The consultant to be recruited must meet the following criteria requirements.
Education:
Master’s degree in medicine/public health, reproductive health, public policy or other relevant subjects.
Knowledge and Experience:
- At least five years progressively responsible work experience in MNCH programmes, including designing, implementing and monitoring.
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of the national, regional and global situation, strategies and programmes on Maternal, neonatal and perinatal death surveillance and response (MPDSR).
- Experience in conducting assessment surveys on maternal and newborn health.
- Experiences in qualitative research and analysis of findings.
- Ability to work in a multi-cultural working environment with a team comprising of government, non-government and civil society representatives.
- Proven experience in preparing technical reports on health.
Languages:
Excellent writing and editing skill in English and Tetum, ability to write reports and analytical documents.
Computer skills
High-level competency in using Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel, Presentations and internet tools. Statistical analysis experience (e.g., use of SPSS) desirable.
Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:
UNFPA will be responsible only to facilitate access to stakeholders and individuals for consultations/interviews and provide relevant documentation, Consultant is expected to submit deliverables in time, within the consultancy period, by email and hard copy addressed to UNFPA CO, for UNFPA to review and provide comments.
Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:
One all-inclusive lump sum payment will be made when the above mentioned deliverables have been submitted and approved by UNFPA CO and APRO, after all comments and inputs from UNFPA CO and APRO have been addressed.
Interested candidates should submit an application letter and a completed United Nations Personal History (P11) Form by email to timor-leste.office@unfpa.org.
Closing date: 26 June 2022
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
