Background

Introduction

The Republic of South Sudan (RSS) gained independence in 2011 to become the 55th country on the African continent.  However significant civil, political, socio-economic and environmental challenges have substantially curtailed or reversed the health and develop gains that were anticipated since that time. As a result, over a decade later, the country struggles to move out of deeply entrenched fragility and instability leaving much of the population struggling to obtain or sustain the basic necessities of survival.   While the signing of a peace agreement in 2018, and subsequent progress on governance reform, recovery and peace-building, has begun to move the country forward, a serious humanitarian crisis continues to affected more than half of the countries population of approximately 13 million.  Some 8.3 million people are in immediate need of humanitarian assistance.  Data on population health are neither comprehensive nor current.  On many core indicators, such as maternal and child health, the country remains amongst the lowest performing nations continentally and globally.

Progress to Address HIV

HIV prevalence is modelled in South Sudan as there are no recent population level data. The adult (15-49 years) HIV prevalence is estimated to be 2.1%, 1.6% for males and 2.5% for females.  The epidemic is continuing to expand with an estimated 17,000 new infections in 2021 along with 8,000 AIDS-related deaths.  The country continues to make progress regarding its 95-95-95 commitments but remains at some distance from achieving these goals by 2030.  By December 21, 35% of PLHIV knew their HIV status and 27% of all PLHIV were on ART (77% of PLHIV who knew their status). Viral load coverage remained low but of the 40% of PLHIV on ART that received a viral load test, 84% had achieved viral suppression

Coverage of PMTCT and paediatric HIV interventions, although increasing, is well below what is minimally required to achieve durable public health benefits to address or prevent vertical transmission of HIV.  Progress for other aspects of the national, multi-sectoral HIV response was minimal, largely due to the absence of sufficient investment from either external or domestic sources in primary prevention programming and for social enablers, including reduction of HIV-related stigma and discrimination.  The HIV response remains guided by the Revised National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2021-2023 and a National HIV and AIDS Monitoring and Evaluation Framework 2018-2023.

Progress to Address TB

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, the incidence of all forms of drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) was 146 per 100,000 population in 2019, while the incidence of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) was 18 per 100,000 population.  However, there is no recent TB prevalence survey; hence, these estimates have remained constant since 2011.  As a result, the true TB burden for the country is not accurately known.  The many challenging features of the country context, highlighted above, constitute 'ideal conditions' for the expansion of the TB burden of disease.  The National TB, Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Programme (NTP) suggests that the TB burden could be closer to the upper limit of the current estimate, which is 209 per 100,000.  At the lower incident rate, the number of new TB cases (all forms) was estimated at 18,656 in 2019, of which 16,232 were detected (87%).At the upper limit, of the estimated 26,752 incident cases, the detection rate would fall to 61%, closer to neighbouring countries such as the rates in Ethiopia (69%), Kenya (63%) and Uganda (65%). This means that approximately 10,520 TB cases were missed in 2019 with important implications for how the NTP needs to be strengthened to move forwards.

 NTP programme data.WHO (2019), World TB Report.

Among detected cases in 2019, the treatment success rate was 81% based on a coverage of 91% of expected cases.  The proportion of bacteriologically confirmed TB cases reached only 45% of new and relapsed cases, indicating the limited access to diagnostic technology in the country, including GeneXpert.  Also, in 2019, 68 cases of DR-TB were notified of which 61 (90%) were subsequently enrolled on second line treatment.  This represented only a very small proportion (3%) of the WHO estimate of 2,304 incident cases in the same year.  However, the MOH and its main TB stakeholders have identified the need to re-evaluate the WHO estimate, including by conducting a DR-TB prevalence survey since none currently exists for the country.  Finally, also in 2019, 90% of all registered new and relapse TB patients were screened for HIV of which 12% (1,763/15,105) were HIV-positive.  Almost all (90%) were subsequently initiated on ART.

Funding for HIV and TB Programmes

Financing for the HIV and TB programmes is almost exclusively dependent on external sources.  For HIV, in the year 2021, approximately 40% of the overall annual programme budget of US$79 million was contributed through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS (the Global Fund), Tuberculosis and Malaria and 60% was contributed by the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.  However, specifically for HIV-related commodities, 98% of funds was contributed by the Global Fund.  The TB programme remains almost exclusively dependent on the Global Fund receiving approximately US$5 million in the 2021 programme year.  The Ministry of Health contributes minimally to the national HIV and TB responses through the periodic payment of health worker salaries and the provision of some infrastructure for the delivery of HIV and TB services in communities.

Requirement to Conduct Programme Reviews and Update Strategic Plans

As a component of eligibility for Global Fund grants, South Sudan is required to conduct regular reviews of its HIV and TB programmes and to main up-to-date and costed national strategic plans for these health

challenges.  South Sudan is anticipating submitting new requests to the Global Fund in the first quarter of 2022 for support for its HIV and TB programmes. 

The country's HIV and TB programmes were last reviewed in 2019 in preparation for the 2021-2023 funding cycle.  The revised National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2021-2023, adopted in 2020, has not be reviewed, nor has the National TB Strategic Plan 2020-2024, also adopted in 2020. It is timely to commence such work to ensure that all reviews and revisions are completed in time for the next funding cycle.

Coordinated Approach

To undertake the review, the MOH and its partners have proposed a coordinated approach, particularly given the close linkages between the HIV and TB programmes in the country context.  The approach will involve the engagement of one international public health expert to design and lead the reviews.  Additional national (HIV and TB) and international (TB only) consultants will be engaged to support the reviews.  The MOH will provide leadership and oversight through the review process.  The reviews will be supported by UNDP as the Principal Recipient for the HIV and TB grants in South Sudan.  UNDP will also draw on its global technical resources and partnerships to ensure high quality outcomes for the HIV and TB programmes in South Sudan.

Purpose of the Assignment

The overall purpose of the assignment is to provide high quality technical inputs for the comprehensive joint review of the HIV and TB programmes as guided by the Team Leader for the Comprehensive Joint Review, and the TB Programme Review and NSP Consultant.   The national consultants will provide a range of contribution to the review process in collaboration with UNDP, the other consultants, MOH focal points, partners and other stakeholders.

The specific objectives of the assignment will include the following:

• To contribute focused expertise to specific components of the review process, as guided by the Team Leader.
• To undertake data collection and analysis, and facilitate consultation amongst key stakeholders linked to the assigned components.
• To participate in site visits and other review activities (such as workshops), as guided by the Team Leader, linked to the assigned components of the review.
• To generate text and other inputs for the findings report, as guided by the Team Leader.

Duties and Responsibilities

The detailed workplan for the national consultants will be prepared during the inception period of the consultancy.

Expected Deliverables

The consultant will prepare and submit contributions the following deliverables:

• Inception (containing a proposed workplan)
• Findings report with recommendations for assigned components
• Programme Review Summary presentation (PowerPoint)

  Travel

  The National Consultant will be recruited from South Sudan, therefore no travel costs will be considered to start the assignment.

  Domestic travel within South Sudan as part of this assignment will be paid by UNDP including tickets and living allowance.

  Evaluation

  Applicants will be screened against qualifications and competencies specified below through a desk review or an interview process. Applicants will be evaluated based on a cumulative analysis method that combines the results of technical and financial evaluation results

  Technical Evaluation Criteria (maximum 70 points)

• An university degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, Health Economics, or Social Sciences.
• Previous experience in designing and managing program/project evaluations especially in the areas of HIV, TB or similar public health programmes;
• Solid understanding of the situation of HIV and TB in South Sudan the progress of the national responses to address the two diseases;
• Solid understanding and experience within the health sector in South Sudan;
• Previous experience in data collection and analysis in the context of operational research or monitoring and evaluation;

• Financial Evaluation Criteria (maximum 30 points)

• p = y (µ/z), where
• p = points for the financial proposal being evaluated
• y = maximum number of points for the financial proposal
• µ = price of the lowest priced proposal
• z = price of the proposal being evaluated

• Timeframe

  The consultant’s 30-day assignment will be conducted in South Sudan with the possibility of travel outside the capital city, Juba and conducted over the period of 15 September 2022 to 30 November 2022

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.

Functional

• Strong analytical, negotiation and communication skills, including ability to produce high quality practical advisory reports and knowledge products.

Project and Resource Management

• Ability to produce high quality outputs in a timely manner while understanding and anticipating the evolving client needs.
• Ability to focus on impact and results for the client, promoting and demonstrating an ethic of client service.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently, produce high quality outputs.
• Sound judgment, strategic thinking and the ability to manage competing priorities.

Partnership building and teamwork

• Demonstrated well developed people management skills.
• Strong ability to manage teams; creating an enabling environment, mentoring and developing staff.
• Excellent negotiating and networking skills.
• Demonstrated flexibility to excel in a multi-cultural environment.
• Provides constructive coaching and feedback.

Communications and Advocacy

• Strong ability to write clearly and convincingly, adapting style and content to different audiences and speak clearly and convincingly.
• Strong presentation skills in meetings with the ability to adapt for different audiences.
• Strong analytical, research and writing skills with demonstrated ability to think strategically.
• Strong capacity to communicate clearly and quickly.

Strong inter-personal, negotiation and liaison skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• A university degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, Health Economics, or Social Sciences.

Experience:

• Previous experience in designing and managing program/project evaluations especially in the areas of HIV, TB or similar public health programmes;
• Solid understanding of the situation of  HIV and TB in South Sudan the progress of the national responses to address the two diseases; Solid understanding and experience within the health sector in South Sudan;
• Previous experience in data collection and analysis in the context of operational research or monitoring and evaluation;
• Ability to manage and work in a team setting;
• Excellent communication and presentation skills;
• Presentation and report-writing skills in English.        

Language:

• Excellent oral and written English
• Working knowledge of Arabic is an asset.

Guidelines for Applications

Interested applicants are advised to carefully review this advertisement and ensure that they meet the requirements and qualifications described.

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website. The application should contain:

• Cover letter explaining why you are the most suitable candidate for the advertised position.
• Signed and Updated Personal History Form (P11). Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects and specifying the relevant assignment period (from/to), as well as the email and telephone contacts of at least three (3) professional references
• The P11 template can be downloaded from this link:  http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc). 
• Letter to UNDP Confirming Interest and Availability indicating financial proposal.

Please note that our system only takes one attachment. Therefore, kindly scan all your documents into a single PDF file to upload.

Security: Individual Consultants are responsible for ensuring they have vaccinations/inoculations when travelling to certain countries, as designated by the UN Medical Director. Consultants are also required to comply with the UN security directives set forth under https://trip.dss.un.org

Travel costs for the purpose of this assignment will be paid separately according to UNDP rules and regulations.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.