Terms of reference for Consultant to support the development of School Eye Health guidelines at Vision Aid Overseas Zambia

BACKGROUND:

The National Eye Health Strategic Plan identifies a need to build capacity of teachers in schools to take visual acuities and identify common eye conditions such as uncorrected refractive error and low vision. Vision Aid Overseas in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education developed a National School Screening Eye Health Protocol which was piloted in Kafue District in 2018-20 with the intention of identifying children with uncorrected refractive error and other eye conditions and supplying glasses and other relevant treatment to ensure all children see as well as possible. During this exercise, 18,713 learners were screened by trained teachers, 2818 were found to have eye problems, 5958 were examined by eye health personnel (the higher number of learners seen by health personnel is justified by the fact that many learners – 3140 who shunned the screening by teachers turned out during the MEHCs) out of whom 3817 learners were confirmed to have eye problems and 68 were referred for further examinations. Of the 3817 who were confirmed to have eye problems, 621 had refractive errors and were given glasses while 3196 had different eye conditions and were treated with eye drops.

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Using lessons learnt from the pilot phase, the protocol was revised and used in the implementation of the Kabwe School Eye health Project and the Petauke School Eye Projects currently under way. In these two projects, the targets have been as follows:

Kabwe SEHP

• 24,259 persons were screened by teachers (23,958 learners and 301 teachers)
• 2931 persons were referred to Mobile Eye Health Clinics (MEHCs) – 2432 learners and 499 teachers
• 696 spectacles were distributed to in 41 schools
• 78 persons were referred for further management (64 learners and 14 teachers)

Petauke SEHP

• 50,000 Learners screened by teachers
• 7500 Learners examined by eye health personnel
• 1200 Glasses dispensed
• 4500 Learners treated with eye drops
• 86 Learners referred for further management

Vision Aid Overseas is aware that the best approach for the delivery of an effective school eye health program is an alignment between education and health systems to ensure that quality eye health services are available and accessible to all children. In Zambia, the Ministry of General Education has a School Health and Nutrition (SHN) Program in the education system which aims to promote the provision of quality and effective health and nutrition services to learners to improve learning outcomes. The program includes health promotion, sexual and reproductive health, vaccinations, assessment, treatment and referrals, communicable diseases and HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Other school health services include malaria, water and food borne diseases, non-communicable diseases, drug, alcohol and substance abuse, mental health, oral health, and nutrition.

Although eye health is undertaken in schools intermittently, generally through support from various partners such as Vision Aid Overseas, the SHN program does not specifically cover eye health. Vision Aid Overseas believes that Eye health is an essential part of a school health program and should be comprehensive and respond to the relevant range of eye conditions and diseases prevalent in the program area.

Vision Aid Overseas intends therefore to document its Comprehensive School Eye Health Program that aligns with the already existing School Health and Nutrition Program and will work with relevant stakeholders to deliver recommendations to the government for the integration of eye health into the mainstream National SHN Program. This will be done through the development of proven and tested operational guidelines for School Eye Health implementation in Zambia with recommendation for its integration with the school health and nutrition program to ensure consistency in delivery across the country.

OBJECTIVES, TASKS AND KEY DELIVERABLES

General Objective: To produce proven and tested guidelines for School Eye Health in Zambia that are presented to the Government of the Republic of Zambia for adoption as the approved approach to school eye health across the country.

Tasks: The Consultant will work under the guidance of the Country Director and, under the coordination and supervision of the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Officer.

Specific tasks include:

• To review relevant documents that will guide the development of the guidelines.
• Help facilitate a stakeholder’s workshop where ideas will be discussed leading to the development of the guidelines.
• To develop guidelines for Comprehensive School Eye Health Program that will be adopted by Ministry of Education as part of the SHN program.

KEY DELIVERABLES

• A stakeholder workshop where ideas will be discussed leading to the development of the guidelines
• A draft Comprehensive School Eye Health Guidelines to guide implementation of school eye health programs in the Country.
• A final Comprehensive School Eye Health Guidelines document.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• A degree in any medical, education or related field
• A post-graduate degree in public health or related field will be an added advantage.
• Extensive area-specific, technical, and programmatic knowledge of programmes and approaches for integrated capacity-Building programmes for Eye Health and Other Disabilities; working knowledge of district health care system, Universal health coverage, in-service, and pre-service training.
• Demonstrated ability to provide clear advice and guidance to multiple stakeholders and partners.
• At least 5 years’ experience in developing, managing and/or providing medical advisory services for health organizations.
• Proficient at both spoken and written English language and demonstrated knowledge of the Zambian context

TIMEFRAME

1st September – 30th November 2022

Submission Procedure

All applications should be addressed to vao.jobs.zm@gmail.com including the cover letter, CV and cost proposal.