UNICEF Recruits Health Specialists

For every child, health

Democratic Republic of Congo

The DRC is one of 190 countries and territories around the world where UNICEF works to overcome the barriers that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path.

The Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo declared the 10th outbreak of Ebola in the country on August 1, 2018 in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, in the east of the country, where displacements of population were large due to armed and communal conflicts. This latest Ebola incident follows the ninth outbreak that occurred in Equateur Province between May and July 2018. As of December 2018, over 450 cases had been reported in 11 health zones in the two affected provinces, North- Kivu and Ituri.

UNICEF DRC is working closely with the government and local partners to respond to the outbreak. The joint intervention plan of the government and partners is being coordinated from Beni in North Kivu and is based on 5 operational coordination centers. UNICEF is responsible for program interventions in the areas of communication, WASH, psychosocial care and child protection, as well as nutrition and education. The response in these program areas includes engagement at the community level and requires the deployment of UNICEF staff to ensure quality delivery.

Job Purpose, Main Duties and Responsibilities

The objective of the posts is to strengthen health activities as part of the Ebola response in North Kivu, especially in Goma and Mangina.

Priority Axis 1: Supply of Essential Medicines, Household Kits and Management Tools.

In collaboration with the DPS, support the Health Zone in:

Management of essential drugs (ME) /inputs:

• Produce estimation of periodic needs at each level (CDR, BCZS, FOSA, community care sites, CAC);

• Form service providers in the mastery of management tools for rational use in accordance with the needs expressed (Average Monthly Consumption) by the structures and actors;

• Design a plan for supplying, distributing and resupplying households with family kits (IMCI kits and childbirth kits).

Priority axis 2: Community approach/C4D.

In collaboration with the DPS, support the Health Zone in:

Community approach

• To drive the community revitalization process which will lead to: the distribution of Household Kits by community members, the promotion of vaccination, Vitamin A and Essential Family Practices (EFP) including seeking care from sites/centres health and referral for complicated cases of diarrhoea;
• (i) Commitment of village chiefs and local associations;
• (ii) activation of the Community Animation Unit (CAC) with designation of Community Relays (Recos) and members of CODESA;
• (iii) Organization of the initial population count;
• (iv) Distribution and monitoring of the use of kits in the community;
• (v) Promotion of Essential Family Practices (EFP) through home visits.

Priority axis 3: Performance Based Financing (PBF) and flat rate pricing.

In collaboration with the DPS, support the Health Zone by contributing to:

Funding

• Determine different costs at the health center and at the General Referral Hospital;

• To share out costs based on subsidy and household contribution;

• Fixedr flat-rate pricing in health centers and at the HGR with the DPS;

• Elaborate FOSA operating accounts;

• Apply financial management procedures and rules.

Contracting and verification

• Produce and finalize the performance contracts of each of the stakeholders (DPS, ECZS, CS, HGR, ASLO);
• Formalize the contractual relationship between the various stakeholders through the signature.
• Document the implementation of performance-based financing contracts and drawing lessons from them;
• Oversee the quarterly evaluation (verification) of performance contracts at all levels carried out by the AAP.

Accreditation of structures and Continuity of care

• Analyze critically the coverage plan of the Health Zone;
• Develop an accreditation plan for FoSa in the Health Zone;
• Develop a plan for monitoring and evaluating accredited structures;
• Organize the offer of care by adopting the functional referral/counter-referral system;
• Organize case management according to the technical platform at each level: community, health center and general referral hospital.

Priority Axis 4: Accompaniment / Monitoring & Evaluation and Improved Monitoring for Action at the decentralized level (MAA).

In collaboration with the DPS, support the Health Zone in:

Planning

• To drive improved Monitoring for Action exercises leading to the identification and analysis of Bottlenecks as well as the proposal of priority corrective actions within the framework of a participatory process;

• Organize participatory work sessions for the development or periodic review of roadmaps for Health Zones on MNCH interventions;

• Participate the annual operational planning process of health zones for better consideration of priority MNCH interventions.

Monitoring and Evaluation/MAA

• To drive the six-monthly Enhanced Monitoring for Action exercise;

• Produce monthly and half-yearly dashboards for monitoring priority MNCH interventions at the AS/ZS level;

• Analyze dashboards for monitoring the implementation of priority MNCH interventions to guide decision-making at both operational and strategic (DPS) levels;

• Facilitate monthly reporting of progress made in the implementation of priority MNCH interventions in HZs and health areas;

• Follow Lfield activities;

• Produce a monthly activity report on the implementation of CAO4&5, highlighting: achievements, good practices, challenges and lessons learned.

EXPECTED RESULTS

• Enhanced monitoring for action led with EG analysis;
• Health Zone roadmaps on MNCH interventions revised/developed with stakeholder participation;
• Activities relating to MNCH priority interventions are included in the 2015 HZ PAOs;
• Flat-rate pricing adopted by the ZS Board of Directors and applied in all FOSAs;
• The operating accounts are drawn up/updated and allow decision-making on the contribution of households and the subsidized part;
• The distribution key for the health center’s receipts, taking into account the motivation of the community participation bodies and the equity fund, is known;
• Referral and counter-referral cases are documented and allow the quality of continuity of care to be assessed;
• The management of essential drugs for health centers and kits for households is rationalized according to the average monthly consumption of health facilities;
• Performance-based contracting is operational at all levels and promotes the motivation of actors;
• Quarterly audits are carried out and subsidy payments are made on time;
• Support for the implementation of CAO in health zones is provided at all levels and to improve the performance of actors and the quality of services.

Qualifications and skills required

THE Health Specialist must meet the following skills and qualifications:

• Diploma of Doctor of Medicine, Masters in Public Health or equivalent field;

• 5 years of professional experience in the management of health-related programs;

• Have a good knowledge of strengthening health systems and decentralization;

• Knowledge of health economics and international experience would be an asset

• Experience in organizing Enhanced Monitoring for Action is an asset;

• Familiarity with UNICEF management procedures is an advantage;

• Proficiency in at least one national language of the DR Congo;

• THE Health Specialist must have basic skills (Communication, teamwork and search for results) and sufficient functional skills (Direction and Supervision, Formulation of Strategies and Concepts, Analytical mind, Sense of contact and networking, Decision and decision-making initiative, Application of technical expertise)

To view our Competency Framework, please click here.

Applications must include a cover letter, a detailed curriculum vitae including contact details (physical address, landline and cell phone numbers, names of reference persons), a duly completed P11 form (attached), photocopies of diplomas and certificates of services rendered, as well as any other useful document providing information on the candidate’s career.

Only applications submitted online will be considered (www.unicef.org/employ).

UNICEF promotes diversity and inclusion among its workforce and encourages qualified candidates, men and women of all nationalities, religions and ethnic backgrounds, including people living with disabilities to apply to become a member of the Organization.

Applications from women are particularly encouraged.