Training Specialist, Emergency New-born Care, South Sudan and Kenya

General Background of Project or Assignment:

UNHCR aims to enable refugees to maximise their health status by supporting them in having equal access to quality primary, emergency and referral health services as nationals. The different settings of UNHCR’s operation however pose challenges due to the wide variety of health care systems, financing of health care and the disease patterns and burdens, in each region, country and even sub-region within a country.

Neonatal deaths, defined as any death that occurs in the first 28 days of life, currently account for approximately 44 per cent of all deaths of children under five years of age in low- and middle- income countries. Approximately three-quarters of these deaths are early neonatal deaths that occur during the first week of life, including 36 per cent that occur within the first 24 hours after birth.

As part of UNHCR’s efforts to develop strategies to improve newborn health and health services, a New-born Health Care baseline assessment has been undertaken in South Sudan, Jordan and Kenya.

The baseline assessment has established targeted new born care interventions necessary to save newborn lives in refugee settings in the refugee. The primary output is rolling out the establishment of a comprehensive newborn care package in line with UNHCR operational guidance on improving newborn care in refugee settings. Furthermore, the assessment has also identified a package of trainings aiming building up technical capacities of delivery and new-born health care service providers, as well as to improve home visits from the Community Health Workers to promote the health, growth and development of infants.

To this regard UNHCR plans to conduct training courses to improve the technical capacity of health delivery and new-born care providers, to enable them manage women with various pregnancy-related risks and complications at different levels of service provision and to manage routine and emergency situations in childbirth and postnatal period through the provision of EmOC training course as well as training in Essential News-born Care. The training will be a combination of comprehensive training and low dose high frequency training approach with special emphasis to kangaroo mother care and thermal care, and essential new-born practices at birth, promoting delayed umbilical cord clamping, anti-septic eye treatment, provision of vitamin K, promotion of early initiation of exclusive breastfeeding.

In addition, Community Health Workers and/or Safe motherhood promoters need to strengthen their capacity to provide home visits for antenatal women and newborns, using a structured program of training, home visit content, and coordination with health facilities.

These training will be conducted in targeted refugee camps in Maban, South Sudan, and Dadaab, Kenya.

10. Purpose of Assignment:

Based on the new-born health care assessment, three training courses should be designed and delivered, with the aim of strengthening the capacity of the delivery and new-born health care providers to improve maternal and new-bron care services and increase the effectiveness of their activities; and the activities of the Community Health Workers and/or Motherhood promoters. The three modules to be delivered are: (1) EmONC training course; (2) the Essential News-born Care; and 3) Caring for the Newborn at home.

1. To conduct capacity building training courses on motherhood (EmONC) and new born care (ENC) to health care service providers in the selected refugee camps in South Sudan and Kenya. Main focus will be in essential low cost high impact new-born care practices, including proper cord care, thermal care, initiation of breathing and resuscitation, early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding, kangaroo mother care, eye care and post-natal mother and new-born care visits.
2. To conduct short capacity building training courses on “Caring for the Newborn at Home” to community health workers (CHWs) and/or Motherhood Promoters to conduct home visits in the antenatal period and the first weeks after the baby is born.

The overall goal of training health care providers is to contribute to the reduction of new-born mortality and morbidity. The purpose is to improve best practices and health service delivery in Essential New-born health Care.

The consultant will ensure:

• The training tools, presentations and excercises are appropriately developed in English.
• The tools for the training are conform to UNHCR operational guidelines to improve new-born care in refugee operations.
• The co-ordination of the training methods and sessions is ensured together with Health authorities, UNHCR field team and implementing partners.
• The participants are fully briefed on the procedures to follow before attending the training.
• The participants selection will be done previously by the Implementing partners in cordination with UNHCR Public Health Officer.
• A post-trainng report is compiled and written – submitted within the week following the training.

Work plan:

First round of training

• 5th July to 11th August 2016: Development of training package; delivery of the EmONC/ENC training to service providers, and Home visit training to CHWs in Maban refugee camps, South Sudan and Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya.

Second round of training:

• 17 October to 10 November 2016 at the same locationsThird round of training: in 2017 (tbd)

11) Qualification and Experience of Consultant (degree required, years of experience, field of expertise, language required):

· Minimum academic qualifications: University degree in Public Health, Medicine, and Maternal and Child Health

· A clinical background (nurse, medical doctor) with a strong experience in motherhood and new born care.

· At least 10 years’ experience working in MNCH.

· Proven experience of developing competency based training materials and conducting competency based training would be desirable

· Experience working with refugees and/or in emergency settings would be desirable.

· Fluent in English (written and spoken)

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply send your CV in P11 format by email to vargasj@unhcr.org.
Please, specify in the subject of the email the position you are applying for.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted