Country: Ethiopia

Placement site: Addis Ababa City Administration
Assignment Title: HIV/AIDS Health Policy and Planning Consultant
Assignment Code: ETH-008
Length of assignment: 6 months- Full-time

In-country placement site:

Addis Ababa City Administration

Volunteer assignment:

The Kilil 14 Health Bureau has requested a Diaspora health professional volunteer to provide technical assistance to develop a well integrated and coordinated health services delivery system within Kilil 14.

The delivery of ART medications in hospitals requires improved coordination between the hospitals and community health clinics. ART medication is increasingly being moved to the health center level. Referral schemes and arrangements between hospitals and health centers are critical. To this end, the accessibility and effectiveness of services for those on ART is dependent on how well the health service system is integrated and coordinated to provide seamless ‘wrap around’ services. Furthermore, the allocation of human and financial resources and the development of monitoring and performance evaluation mechanisms are essential to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of health delivery systems. The intent of the project is to achieve the following results:

• Improved communication between health service providers;
• Improved treatment for patients;
• The development of standards for the collection and flows of valid, reliable, timely, and useful information;
• The development of an effective accountability of service quality and health outcomes; and
• The development of a central body with authority and responsibility for gate-keeping function to better ensure the implementation of an effective and efficient health delivery system.

• Decision-making guidelines (policies and procedures) for health service provision at appropriate levels improves health outcomes and cost effectiveness.
• Improved treatment for patients;
• Strategies that align incentives and promote collaboration across traditional service boundaries improve health outcomes and cost effectiveness.
• Integrating and coordinating service deliveries is dependent upon coordination of funding streams.
• Developing a budgetary and decision-making process for allocating resources for a wide range of health delivery services improves health outcomes and cost effectiveness.
• Developing a budgetary and health delivery responsibility for a specified bundle of specialized services (e.g., mental health, obgyn, ophthalmology, etc.) improves outcomes and cost effectiveness.
• Budget responsibility for a full range of services improves health outcomes and cost effectiveness.
• Integrated and coordinated health service delivery systems are more effective in contributing to improved health outcomes.
• Patients who are able to make a choice about health service options have improved health outcomes and make more cost-effective choices.

Name and title of supervisor: Head, Kilil 14 Health Bureau

Name and title of counterpart: TBD

• Degree in public health or related field
• Good written and oral communication skills and fluency in English and Amharic
• Experience and knowledge in health and policy planning, developing research methodologies and protocols, health care financing and administration, and identifying, collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and documenting data
• Knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment, specifically ART and treatment adherence
• Experience developing and implementing monitoring and evaluation programs
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to develop cooperative working relationships with diverse professionals
• Ability to collaborate and work effectively with various program/project implementation partners and officials of governmental and non-governmental organizations

• Knowledge of the host country’s health system and culture
• Ability to work independently with strong leadership skills
• Previous experience working in a low-resource setting
• Previous experience working in a low-resource setting
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to develop cooperative working relationships

Goals to be attained by the project include:

Health Priorities and Health Gain Targets: Develop mechanisms and protocols for assessing costs, benefits, opportunities, and threats (risks) to explore coordination and/or integration of health services with the overall objective of measurably improving cost effectiveness and health outcomes, as well as ensuring the provision of high quality health services.

Linkages and Interfaces: Develop information networks between health service providers resulting in evidence-based decision-making and resource management, as well as improved access, reduced duplication, and improved information.

Alignment: Realign the operation and delivery of health service providers with the priorities, policies, and procedures of the Federal Ministry of Health Incentives with the overall objective of effecting a clear alignment of social, financial, and clinical targets between the MOH and health services providers.

Performance: Develop benchmarks and performance indicators to accurately measure the integration and delivery of quality care.

Objective
The volunteer Health and Policy Planning Consultant will assist Kilil 14 to assess their current health service deliver system and develop an implementation plan for an integrated and coordinated healthcare delivery initiative.

The volunteer will provide technical assistance and consultation on three levels:

Level 1: Situation and trend of integrated care on service provider/patient relationship:
At the most basic level, integrated care involves improving people’s access to health services. This will result in a change in the way providers offer services to meet the patient’s needs. The volunteer will assist in identifying ways for health service providers to change the way they deliver care to patients to better serve patients’ needs.

Level 2: Organizational structure: Integrated care is said to occur when different groups of providers coordinate their services to patients. This coordination would require an organizational structure in order to implement these changes. The volunteer will assist in identifying the types of organizations and organizational structure that allows integration and coordination to occur.

Level 3: Impact on the Health Sector: Integrated care projects have the potential to significantly alter the service delivery and funding environment by transferring many functions now performed by the MOH to either third parties or individuals. The volunteer will assist in determining the impact transferring and/or developing authority at the individual level has on service delivery and the type of monitoring and performance evaluation that can be implemented to reduce risks.

Overall, the volunteer will assist in developing:

• An assessment work plan
• A model catchment area in which an integrated health service system will be implemented and serve as a "learning by doing" exercise; and
• A mechanism for replicating what is learned in the model to other sites

• Provide overall guidance on the assessment;
• Develop a protocol or methodology for identifying and gathering valid, reliable, timely and useful information from stakeholders;
• Interpret the results of the data collected;
• Compile written results and recommendations based on analyzed data.

Deliverables:

• A document that profiles an integrated and coordinated health delivery system for Kilil 14, with specific recommendations for implementation and monitoring.
• Action plan for the implementation of an integrated and coordinated health care delivery initiative
• Regular reports documenting progress toward objectives in action plan, and documentation of training, consultation, and mentorship provided
• Final report

• Complete the scope of work in the timeframe outlined
• Complete Twinning Center’s assessment and monthly monitoring and evaluation reports
• Submit a post-assignment final report and participate in an exit interview
• Adhere to the AIHA Volunteer Standards of Conduct

• Provide resources necessary for volunteer to carry out assignment successfully
• Identify a placement site for the volunteer to ensure sustainability of volunteer activities
• Submit performance assessment reports on the volunteer to the Twinning Center

AIHA Twinning Center:

• Conduct pre-assignment orientation and training for volunteer and placement site staff
• Provide volunteer with safe housing, monthly living allowance, medical evacuation coverage, and travel-related costs to and from placement site
• Provide ongoing support of volunteer as needed

This position has been filled.  Please refer to the list of open positions.