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Consultancy for the development of the Health/Clinical Officers Emergency Obstetric Surgery Diploma

Contract type: Consultancy
Grade: Equivalent to P4
Duration: 2 months
Starting: 1 July 2013
Original published date: 6 June 2013
Application Deadline: 19 June 2013
Duty Station: Mogadishu with briefing and debriefing in Nairobi
Organization: WHO Primary Health Care Unit/Reproductive Health
Background Information
The shortage of human resources especially skilled birth attendant has led to high rates of maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality. Although most pregnancies and births are uneventful, approximately 5%-15% of all pregnant women develop potentially life-threatening complications that call for cesarean section by a skilled care health professional. However, other maternal complications will require major interventions to prevent maternal morbidity and mortality. The main causes of maternal death and disability in Somalia are complications arising from hemorrhage, eclampsia/hypertension, sepsis and obstructed labor. There is a need to build capacity of the existing health providers in management of these complications.
One of the ongoing programs with focus on maternal, newborn, child and nutrition is Joint Health and Nutrition Program (JHNP).The primary objective of the JHNP is to increase the use of accessible and affordable quality Maternal Child Health and Nutrition services for improved health status of Somali people and reduced maternal and child mortality. The JHNP proposal looks to strengthen the Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS) by prioritizing capacity development, as set out in the EPHS guidelines including the key health service workers such as general practitioners, Clinical Officers at Referral Health Centres.
The Somali health Authorities had prioritized capacity development, and the standardization of services to provide a paramount for improving the JHNP’s programmes core outcome of “Increased use of Reproductive, Maternal and Neonatal Child Health (RMNCH) and Nutrition services that are available, accessible, affordable, of acceptable quality and are adaptable”.
In order to help reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, the EPHS guides the development of the Emergency Obstetric Surgery Diploma ‘An emergency obstetrics surgery diploma will be developed for training experienced general doctors, clinical officers and midwives, to do comprehensive emergency obstetrics gynecology. The completed training enables them to carry out comprehensive EmONC at referral health centre level and hospitals’.
The EPHS states that training in Emergency Obstetrics Surgery Diploma (EOSD) must be 9 months long in duration. WHO will work closely with the HAs to provide technical support for the development of the Diploma. The completed 9 months training enables participants to carry out Comprehensive Emergency Newborn Obstetric Surgery (CEmONC) at referral health centre level and hospital. WHO will work closely with the HAs to provide technical support for the development of the Diploma.
The following initial work has been completed in the development of the curriculum: After consultative meetings between South Central Somalia (SCS) and Puntland Health Authorities (HAs), their partners and WHO and both HAs agreed to the development of ESOD.
The following initial work for the development of ESOD had been done by WHO Somalia:
• In collaboration with the HAs WHO Somalia had conducted consultative meetings in the South Central Somalia and Puntland and their partners to discuss the outlines of the curriculum, which includes theory and practical/clinical components and agreed on the duration of the diploma which will be 9 months.
• Additionally, under the MOH leadership WHO had consulted with the deans of medical schools /institutes, head of department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology department in Puntland to introduce and discuss the concept of the EOSD and suggested the content of the curriculum in Puntland. With the HAs WHO had visited the selected Hospitals to ensure their capacity to conduct the training for the diploma.
• Defined criteria for the selected participants as by the two HAs are:
o For SCS the participants will be selected from a pool of graduated physicians.
o For Puntland the participants will be selected from a pool of GPs and graduated physicians.
Objective of the Consultancy:
To work in consultation with the HAs and training institutes under the supervision of WHO to develop a 9 months Emergency Obstetrics Surgery Diploma curriculum that will conclude with comprehensive EmONC at referral health centre level and hospitals.
Description of duties:
  1. Meet with the HAs and their partners to agree upon the selected criteria for the candidates who will be enrolled in the ESOD training.
  2. Review international curriculums and best practices of diploma in Emergency Obstetric Surgery to develop a 9 months curriculum diploma.
  3. Under the guidance of the SCS HAs, visit the medical schools and the hospitals selected to discuss the concept of the Diploma. The selected hospitals should meet the set criteria needed for the clinical training.
  4. In collaboration with the HAs and under the under the supervision of WHO develop the EOSD curriculum.
  5. Conduct a consultative meeting with the 2 HAs and the universities/institutes to agree on the EOSD curriculum drafted.
  6. Under the guidance of the 2HAs and the supervision of WHO, the Emergency Obstetrics Surgery Diploma will be finalized in reference to the international standards to train in comprehensive EmONC and gynaecology including but not limited to the below:
• Management of shock
• Ante-Partum Haemorrhage (APH)
• Management of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (Preeclampsia/Eclampsia)
• Management of pregnancy and postnatal complication
• Post -Partum Haemorrhage (PPH) and retained placenta
• Bimanual compression of the uterus
• Performance and repair of episiotomy
• Diagnosis and management of female genital mutilation/cutting complications
• Identification and repair of cervical tear
• Post abortion care
• Manual vacuum aspirator (MVA)
• Family planning/birth spacing and counseling
• Performance of instrumental delivery (vacuum extraction)
• Caesarean sections
• Laprotomy, ectopic pregnancies and salpingotomy
• Newborn resuscitation
All these activities shall be done in a systematic manner and according to the timeline as defined by the developed EOSD diploma.
Expected deliverable:
A 9 months Emergency Obstetric Surgery Diploma curriculum developed in reference to international guidelines to enable Comprehensive Emergency Newborn Obstetric Surgery (CEmONC) at referral health centre level and hospitals which will be endorsed by Somalia Health Authorities.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Essential
• University degree in medicine from a recognized university with postgraduate degree in public and specialization in Obstetric and Gynecology
• At least 5 years previous experience at national and/or international levels, working in the area of maternal reproductive health, training and curriculum development, course materials design and teaching aids, related to maternal, newborn and reproductive health with a sound understanding and knowledge of the related emergency issues during pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal.
Skills and Knowledge:
 Excellent writing and presentation skills, and inclusive facilitation and coordination skills
 Excellent communication and negotiation skills, capable of developing and maintaining effective working relations with high level government bodies and different organizations.
 Proven skills in writing.
Other Desirable Skills:
• Experience working in Somalia
Languages:
• Excellent command of written and spoken English required. Somali language skills would be an asset.
How to apply:
Additional information:
Interested candidate(s)/institutes/organizations are strongly encouraged to apply in writing sending their CV(s) and motivational letters together with technical proposal and fee expectation to:
Administrative Officer
WHO Somalia
recruitment@nbo.emro.who.int
Deadline for applications: 19 June 2013
 Short listed candidates will be asked to develop a concept note and a funding proposal.
 Selection will be based on competencies, skills, and knowledge.
 Payment will be based on WHO guidelines.
  • WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
  • Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
  • Only qualified candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
  • WHO has a smoke-free environment.