1.CONTEXT
1.1 About Humanity & Inclusion:
Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is an independent and impartial aid organization, founded in 1982 and is currently working in 58 countries worldwide. HI’s sectors of intervention are: Health & Prevention; Rehabilitation; Economic inclusion; Social inclusion; Education; Local development; Accessibility; Disaster preparedness and risk reduction; Mine clearance and accident prevention; Camp coordination and management; Basic needs; Reconstruction; Advocacy. HI has been involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria since 1994 through its first initiatives in Africa in 1996 in response to requests from local partners. The main reason for HI’s intervention response related to the 3 diseases is closely linked to vulnerabilities of people with (various types of) disabilities for whom the risk of contracting HIV is as high or higher than for people with able-bodied.
1.2 Background of the HEALTH project:
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic has made good progress over the past twenty years, including halving poverty, reducing hunger, and improving education and health outcomes. However, despite this progress, various challenges remain to strengthen capacities in preventing and managing health security risks due to emerging and re-emerging diseases and in particular the three communicable diseases: HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
The Lao PDR has successfully decreased malaria to relatively low levels and is primed for elimination by 2030. From 2000 to 2010, reported malaria cases decreased 92%, from 279,903 to 23,047.
Tuberculosis is one of the many diseases that threaten the health of people of all ethnic groups across the country and is a major health factor. At the same time, it also affects the socio-economic development of Laos
The HIV epidemic in Laos is classified as low prevalence but showing an increasing trend from 0.16% (2003) to 0.3 % (2015) among the Lao population aged between 15 and 49. The national strategy 2016 to 2020 is to achieve a target of 90‐90‐90. 90% of PLHIV knowing their status, 90% who know their status are receiving treatment, and 90% of those on treatment having a suppressed viral load. and further increase these to 95‐95‐95 by 2030.
The Lao PDR has made substantial progress in improving its reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health outcomes and service coverage over the last decade. As of 2012, the MMR was 357 per 100, 000 live births, and the TFR was 3.2.1 However, both remain relatively high and the TFR was significantly higher amongst rural women and those in the lower income and educational groups.
The HEALTH project will assist in the design and development of guidelines for the integration of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria control into maternal and child health, so that the target group will have easier and more effective access to health services.
The project is being implemented in Phin and Thapangthong Districts, Savannaket Province. Both districts have a particularly high burden of TB, and malaria with high risk and diverse populations, including ethnic groups (Katang and Makong) and mobile migrant workers, living in hard-to-reach areas.
1.3 Project Objective:
Overall objective: To support and strengthen an integrated health system to tackle and reduce HIV, TB and Malaria disease burden at the village level in Savannakhet province and to increase access to health care for remote and hard-to-reach communities in Lao PDR.
Specific objective A: To design and implement a model intervention on HIV, TB and Malaria for women, children and adolescents attending MCHC – led mobile clinics and through households visit in two target districts in SVK province
Specific objective B: To evaluate the strategy, produce and share qualitative and quantitative data about HIV, TB and malaria prevention, screening and management for mothers, children, and adolescents.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPECTED SERVICE
2.1 Objective of research
2.1.1 Objectives
• Epidemiology research is to study the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) before and after the training of nursing staff, and outpatient and surgical services for district hospitals and health centers and the stakeholder community representatives on the accessibility to the integrated health services of MCH, HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.
• ScoPeo (Score of Perceived Outcomes) research is to measure the effects of the project interventions on the quality of life of beneficiaries such as physical and mental health, social and personal relationships, subjective well-being, basic needs, perceived safety, material well-being and social and family participation
The epidemiology survey site bases of Intervention will include 2 districts (Phine and Thapangthong) where the intervention of the project and Atsaphone District will be assigned as the control area with considerably similar characteristics at base-line, or in other words comparable to the intervention area (Phin and Thapangthong district) at first stage.
2.1.2 Specific objectives
1. To describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices of health service providers on the integrated health services of HIV, TB and Malaria for mothers of U2-year-child, pregnant women and adolescents before and after the intervention.
2. To assess the availability and readiness of health service providers on the integration of MCH, HIV, TB, Malaria and using RDTs before and after the intervention.
3. To evaluate the access to RDTs for HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria among multiple groups of service users (mothers of U2-year-child, pregnant women, adolescents and community representatives) by determining the care path, the acceptance rate and describing the “Archetypes” of care users before and after the intervention.
4. To describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices on HIV, TB and Malaria prevention care access among community representatives before and after the intervention.
5. To determine factors associated with the RDT acceptance among service users before and after the intervention.
6. To determine factors associated with providing integrated MCH/ HIV, TB and Malaria among providers before and after the intervention.
7. To describe the quality of life of beneficiaries such as physical and mental health, social and personal relationships, subjective well-being, basic needs, perceived safety, material
3. DURATION AND PLACE OF PERFORMANCE OF THE SERVICE
3.1 Start date: 29 April 2024.
3.2 End date: 22 May 2024
3.3 Schedule and number of mission days to be worked by the consultant
4. WORK PLAN (tentative work plan)
Table 4. Training Schedule, 06 – 08 May 2024 (03 days)
5. REPORT
The evaluation report should be comprised of at least the following chapters:
1. Title page
2. Table of contents
3. Executive summary
4. Body of the report:
a. Project background
b. Research background
c. Methodology
d. data analysis
e. Main findings/main result
f. Coordination and communication assessment
5. Conclusions
6. Comparing between baseline and endline of epidemiology survey
7. Recommendations
8. Appendices
A Power-Point presentation with the preliminary findings and recommendations should be presented to HI in Lao PDR and key stakeholders’ group
All draft and final outputs, including supporting documents, analytical reports and raw data
should be provided in electronic version compatible with Word for windows. Ownership of
the data from the evaluation rests jointly with HI and IRD/IBB. The copyright of the
evaluation report will rest exclusively with HI and IRD/IBB. Key stakeholders can make appropriate use of the survey report in line with the original purpose and with appropriate acknowledgment.
6. CONSULTANT’S PROFILE (Expertise requirement from the consultant
• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or Master’s degree on health or public health
• At least 7 year of working experience in epidemiology research.
• Working experience in communities or in disability projects would be an asset.
• Having experience in research on epidemiology with INGOs or HI will be a priority to consider.
• Language requirement: Native Lao and proficient English,
• Computer skill: Proficient in Microsoft Office package and STATA or data collection and analysis software
7. BUDGET
The consultant should submit HI the financial proposal including very costs to produce the identified deliverable services (transportation, accommodation, personnel, translation, computer, printing questionnaires, specific tools/software, office materials…) and any applicable tax in the country (VAT or withholding tax).
Please note that no travel allowance (per diem) and transportation will be paid to the consultant, and they will be responsible for their own security in all countries, HI will not cover any insurance fee during the consultancy period.
Please note that the final payment is conditional on the validation of the final evaluation report and not solely on its submission. Validation means ensuring that the report meets the quality standards as per the checklist attached above, and it is not based on the appreciation of the project evaluated.
8. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR PROPOSAL
Proposals from interested consultant(s) must include the following documents (compulsory documents in English):
1. An Expression of Interest/cover letter, including how the skills and competencies described in the Terms of Reference are met.
2. A Curriculum Vitae detailing the consultant’s experience and qualifications to undertake the assignment.
3. A technical proposal outlining the proposed methodology and a tentative workplan.
4. A financial proposal in USD that includes the daily consultancy fee and associated costs (e.g. international flight ticket, airport transfers, accommodation and external translator fee during the field visit, etc.).
5. An example of an evaluation report previously produced by the consultant.
Proposals must be submitted to: [email protected] no later than 25th of April 2024 at 04:30 PM (Lao time). Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Selected applicants will be invited for an interview.
9. EVALUATION PROCEDURE
Evaluation of proposals will be made by a Selection Committee in two phases:
1. Administrative selection: The committee will first check for completeness of the application and verify that all compulsory items listed above are included. Incomplete applications will not be considered for technical selection.
2. Technical selection: The best application will be selected based on the quality of the technical proposal, the competitiveness of the financial proposal, the skills and previous experiences of the consultant, and the demonstrated expertise of the applicant to successfully undertake the assignment.
Only candidates who pass the administrative selection will be considered for the technical assessment. Shortlisted applicants may be invited for an online interview (or offline interview).
HI reserves the right to contact the applicants for additional information or clarification before the final selection by the selection committee. After interview only selected candidate will be contacted.
How to apply
Proposals must be submitted to: [email protected] no later than 25th of April 2024 at 04:30 PM (Lao time). Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Selected applicants will be invited for an interview.