Summary
Date Posted: Monday, July 26, 2021 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Job title: Consultant to Undertake a Market Assessment of the Affordable Housing Gap for Health Workers in Zambia

Background
SolidarMed is a Swiss non-profit organisation dedicated to improving healthcare in Africa. It is currently active in seven countries in eastern and southern Africa and reaches over 2.5 million people in Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe with various health programmes developed in close cooperation with local hospitals, health centres, partner organisations and health authorities. It was registered in Zambia in 2010 under the Registrar of Societies and later as a Non-Governmental Organization in 2013 with registration number RNGO 101/0075/2013. SolidarMed shares the vision of the Ministry of Health of equitable access to cost-effective, quality health care for all Zambians and has a particular focus on the rural areas.
The goal of our country programme in Zambia is to improve the provision of human resources for health in rural areas. Health facilities in rural Zambia suffer from an acute shortage of health workers which is a major contributing factor towards weaker health outcomes in rural areas. To address this challenge, SolidarMed uses innovative ways to improve the quality and number of human resources for health in rural areas through training Medical Licentiates (non-physician clinicians), nurses and midwives, specifically for the rural areas, as well as improving working conditions for rural health staff through the key intervention of improved staff housing.
Sustainable Housing for Health project
A study by the Clinton Foundation revealed that 78.4% of health workers would take a rural job over an urban job if good quality housing were available. With this evidence in mind, SolidarMed took up the challenge of addressing poor retention of health workers in rural areas by providing superior housing for health workers at an affordable cost through an innovative housing project. It has developed a housing product that is not only cost effective but has improved environmental sustainability in both new build homes and the rehabilitation of existing housing units. These housing units are comprised of 2 to 4 bedroomed houses concentrated in 3 rural districts of Lusaka Province (Luangwa, Rufunsa and Chongwe) and a few in outlying areas which include the Muchinga and Eastern Provinces of Zambia. The houses are rented out at an affordable rent ranging from K600 to K1300, depending on the house size and the amenities and fixtures installed. Additionally, SolidarMed has developed a social enterprise called SolidarInvest to maintain these housing properties in good condition. With a working model, our goal is now to scale up.
Objective / Scope of Work
The housing need, particularly for affordable [1]housing solutions in the rural parts of Zambia is very high. However, few studies, if any, have quantified housing need/demand and how that demand may change considering increases in population and therefore the need for services, which will bring in its wake an increase in the number of healthcare workers. As the current phase of funding this programme draws to a close, an independent evaluation is required with an overall goal of contributing towards the knowledge on this subject as well as to provide valuable data for future funding applications where arguments about the housing gap may influence resource allocation.

Objectives:
This independent consultancy will have as its goal an assessment of the current and future size of rural housing for healthcare workers.
1. The specific objectives are:
1. To map the current housing infrastructure for health workers across all Districts and Provinces of Zambia. (disaggregated by the nature of the facility)[2],
2. To estimate the maintenance condition of the housing stock for health workers across all Districts and Provinces of Zambia.
3. To determine what the housing gap (demand/need) for affordable housing in health in rural Zambia is currently.
4. To explore where the housing gaps (demand/need) for affordable housing in health in rural Zambia are currently.
5. To investigate and document what the estimated projected housing gap will be over the next ten years in each location[3].
Duration
Up to 90 days are available to complete the consultancy and the final report is expected by the end of October 2021.

Deliverables
• Obtain ethical approval from National Health Research Authority before commencement of research.
• Stakeholder presentations (1 at start (introduction of approach and goals, with sign off of the detailed methodology; 1 just before report writing to outline key results and the structure of the report
• Final report following a pre-approved outline and including all raw and summarised data (quantitative and qualitative, in annex)
Technical and Financial Proposals

The technical proposal should outline:
• Relevant experience of the consultant(s) (Letter and CV must be attached with references)
• The proposed methodology including sources and a stakeholder list to be consulted.
• Processes and approaches to be used.
• A timeline for the work including key meetings to be held.
• Logistical and other support required.
• References for similar work.
• Examples of previously published work
The financial proposal should include:
• All administration costs including overheads, printing, copying, presentation and transport.
• Daily rate should take into account the deduction of Withholding Tax in Zambia (15% for resident and 20% for non-resident consultants).

Qualifications and Experience
Eligible Consultants should have the following qualifications and experience:
1. Strong Research background and familiarity and knowledge of the health institutions in Zambia.
2. Excellent communication and presentation skills with experience working with diverse stakeholders.
3. Strong track record of having led, carried out and participated in research and publications of this type.
4. Familiarity with conducting basic assessments of existing structures (household structures and living conditions).
5. Demonstrate exposure and experience in utilizing all research methods (qualitative, Observational, and quantitative) including transcribing.
6. A Degree and postgraduate qualification in Demography, Built Environment and Geography or relevant social sciences (research institutions including universities are welcome)

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 24

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

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Job application procedure
Eligible Consultant(s) should submit technical and financial proposals electronically to n.lubinda@solidarmed.ch. Proposals should be delivered not later than 17:00hrs on Friday 6th August, 2021.
• The principal focus here is patient facting healthcare providers, especially but not only medical officers, nurses, midwives, clinical officer and medical licentiates.
• All information under objective 1,2 and 3 should be tabulated as follows:
• First Level healthcare facilities disaggregated by Health Posts, Rural Health Centre and District Hospitals, including the new Mini-hospitals.
• Second Level healthcare facilities disaggregated by Provincial and General hospitals.
• No tertiary level health facilities will be considered since these are located in urban areas.
• Reflect on filled posts, funded but not filled posts, established but not yet funded or filled posts, as well as an estimate of future healthcare worker numbers to achieve government plans and/or WHO ratios

Foot Notes
• The principal focus here is patient facting healthcare providers, especially but not only medical officers, nurses, midwives, clinical officer and medical licentiates.
• All information under objective 1,2 and 3 should be tabulated as follows:
• First Level healthcare facilities disaggregated by Health Posts, Rural Health Centre and District Hospitals, including the new Mini-hospitals.
• Second Level healthcare facilities disaggregated by Provincial and General hospitals.
• No tertiary level health facilities will be considered since these are located in urban areas.
• Reflect on filled posts, funded but not filled posts, established but not yet funded or filled posts, as well as an estimate of future healthcare worker numbers to achieve government plans and/or WHO ratios

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