Summary
Date Posted: Wednesday, March 30, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Blood Supply Specialist
Background
Trends in severe malaria and malaria deaths in Zambia have stagnated since 2017 following years of improvement. The country recorded a 55% reduction in malaria mortality rate between 2015 and 2018 and a 53% decline in prevalence for the same period. However, malaria incidence reduction remains below 10% (National Malaria Elimination Center: 2019). In 2018, there were about 5.2 million cases and over 1,400 deaths recorded country wide (Health Management Information System: 2019). Malaria is still a major public health challenge in Zambia and remains endemic across all ten provinces. Without concerted action to close the identified gaps by all the stakeholders, further gains based on prevention cannot be guaranteed. Erratic blood supply leads to frequent stock outs, worsening malaria case fatality rates, especially among children who present with severe malaria anemia. Management System International (MSI) is preparing to lead a Blood Supply Assessment in Zambia as part of its USAID/Zambia Evidence for Health (E4H) project through support from the Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI). E4H is a five-year (2020 – 2025) project funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Zambia and implemented by Management Systems International (MSI) in close collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Zambia’s Ministry of Health (MoH). E4H aims at strengthening the Ministry of Health, Health Management Information System (HMIS); and expanding the evidence base for approaches to USAID health programming in malaria, nutrition, family planning, maternal and child health, and HIV

Objectives of the Assessment
E4H will conduct a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) assessment of blood supply services in Zambia to explore modalities for providing targeted, cost-effective assistance to improve the availability of blood transfusions for the treatment of severe malaria anemia. In addition, the assessment will aim to better understand specific, actionable blood supply bottlenecks that could be addressed for future investments not only by PMI, but by stakeholders in safe motherhood, surgery/trauma, and others. Furthermore, the assessment will make recommendations for critical areas to provide support to the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) to sustainably improve their blood supply management system.

Purpose of the Consultancy
The Blood Supply Specialist will lead the Blood Supply Assessment working closely with MSI and the E4H team in Lusaka. The Specialist will be responsible for leading the overall design, including data collection tools, to support the assessment fieldwork. The Specialist will also conduct the SWOT analysis, prepare reports, and develop and present user-friendly presentations on findings and work with the GRZ team and other stakeholders to develop practical and actionable recommendations to support improved safe blood supply. The position is under a short-term technical assistance contract that will report to the Senior Advisor, Knowledge Management, Data Demand and Use based in Lusaka. Fieldwork will be completed in Lusaka with site visits to Provincial Blood Transfusion Centers (PBTCs) in all the ten provinces of Zambia.

Methodology and Location
The Specialist will employ a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis approach to assess the blood supply services in Zambia. The assessment will focus on blood supply value chain (donor recruitment, retention & recall; blood collection; testing; processing; storage; distribution; appropriate clinical use of blood; adverse reactions; impact on survival of recipients; Financing, policy, Human Resources and Stakeholder collaboration and coordination). Key malaria stakeholders such as the National Malaria Elimination Program; Zambia National Blood Transfusion Services (ZNBTS), Provincial Blood Transfusion Centers (PBTC) and donors such as WHO, World Bank, European Union among others will be engaged during the study.
The assessment will cover all the ten provinces of Zambia. The ZNBTS has a network of PBTC in all the Provinces with capability to conduct blood donor education, collect, test for HIV and Hepatitis B & C and Syphilis. The PBTCs store blood and distribute to blood giving centers. The 10 PBTC and 180 blood giving centers will therefore be a major focus for this assessment.

Tasks
The assessment is estimated to take approximately 90 working days from May 1 2022 to accomplish the tasks and complete all the deliverables. The primary tasks are expected to include, but not be limited to:
Task
• Using a co-design approach, work with USAID/PMI and ZNBTS to lead the development a detailed workplan, including data collection instruments, sampling strategy and analysis approach for the assessment
• Conduct a full desk review of all relevant blood supply strategy and needs documents from the MOH, ZNBTS and donors
• Lead stakeholder interviews with central and provincial level government agencies including, USAID/PMI and PEPFAR, MOH, Zambia National Blood Transfusion Service; relevant donors and partners involved in improving blood supply management
• Develop an analysis table of input to develop initial findings and conclusions
• Present findings and conclusions to USAID/PMI and ZNBTS
• Develop and lead a workshop to co-create practical and actionable priorities to be incorporated in an action plan to support improved blood supply management
• Develop report of findings, conclusions of the rapid assessment and detailed recommendations for action in the follow-on activity
• Deliverables
• The Specialist will be responsible for delivering to MSI the following:
• Task
• Detailed workplan, including interview guide, analysis plan and sampling plan.
• Inception report based on desk review
• Notes and audio files of interviews
• Findings and conclusions table
• PowerPoint presentation on initial findings and conclusions
• Workshop agenda and recommendations matrix
• Approved Blood Supply Assessment Report

Qualifications
• A Master’s Degree in public health, health system strengthening or other relevant degree and 7 years work experience in blood supply management.
• A relevant bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 10 years-experience in blood supply management
• Experience in conducting blood supply assessments and/or field research in blood safety.
• Five years’ experience working in developing countries on blood supply safety and management, public health, malaria case management or health system strengthening with a focus on Africa.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and collaboration skills in working with government and donor organizations.
• Previous experience working in Zambia preferred; and
• Ability to travel as necessary throughout Zambia.

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 60

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
To apply for this job please visit www.msiworldwide.com

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