1. POSITION(S) VACANT: Consultant State Maternal Health and Quality Assurance, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Jaipur, Rajasthan

 

2. ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND:

 

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN organization working for reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services including voluntary family planning, maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.

 

Project Background:

 

Achieving Zero preventable maternal deaths is one of three transformative goals of UNFPA’s strategic plan. Realizing the reduction of the maternal mortality and morbidity is important in ensuring that the Sustainable Development Goals are achieved by 2030.

 

Significant decline in maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has been registered between 2014-16 and 2017-19 from 199 to 141 per one lakh live birth. However, the state’s MMR is still fifth highest in the country. In the last two decades, many interventions ranging from the facility based to the community centric interventions to reduce maternal mortality has been rolled out under the NHM programme by the State Government.

 

The large percentage of the institutional deliveries i.e. 90.7% according to the NFHS-5 indicates that quality of maternal care at the facilities would contribute substantially to the reduction of the maternal mortality and morbidities. To further accelerate the decline, there is a need to continue to focus on quality of care (LaQshya, SUMAN) and strengthened maternal death review process. In this context, it is proposed that a technical consultant be provided to the Maternal Health Division to work closely with the Project Director, Maternal Health of NHM and other Senior officials at the State and District level to facilitate the roll out of the quality maternal health interventions in the districts.

 

RMNCH+A is a managerial framework for achieving the reduction of the Maternal and Infant mortality in the country and this was based on the response on Call to Action. It was envisaged there should be a focus on key high impact interventions with special emphasis on weakly/poorly performing geographies which would lead to the substantial gains in the reduction of maternal, neonatal, infant and under 5 morbidity and mortality resulting from the most common causes. In the State of Rajasthan, UNFPA has been identified as the lead partner for RMNCH+A.

 

Further, “The Aspirational District” Programme was launched by the Prime Minister on January 5, 2018. It aims to rapidly transform the districts that have shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas and have emerged as pockets of under-development, thereby posing a challenge to ensure balanced regional development. NITI Aayog has identified 117 districts as 'Aspirational Districts'. These districts have been selected on the basis of composite index which includes published data of deprivation enumerated under Socio-Economic Caste Census, Health &Nutrition, Education and Basic Infrastructure. In Rajasthan 5 districts are selected as Aspirational districts Karauli, Dholpur, Sirohi, Baran and Jaisalmer

 

3. JOB DESCRIPTION/ RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

Reporting to the Project Director - MH, and State Head, UNFPA, the State Maternal Health and Quality Assurance Consultant, shall be responsible for the following:

 

Key Deliverables:
(1) Provide technical support in the area of Maternal Health Interventions in close co-ordination with the Maternal Health Division;
(2) Co-ordinate and provide technical inputs in the NHM PIP planning, implementation and monitoring from the Maternal health perspective;
(3) Develop a detailed plan in terms of the post training follow up of the trained service providers to ensure that there is a continuous feedback on the extent of the competencies of the trained service providers;
(4) Provide technical inputs in the area of various Maternal health interventions training like EmoC, LSAS, SBA and other Maternal health training in the high priority/aspirational districts;
(5) Provide technical support to strengthen and scale up the Midwifery initiative in close coordination with the technical team, UNFPA;
(6) Facilitate the development of Master trainers in the critical trainings related to the Maternal Health and support the MH division in the follow up of the trained service providers;
(7) Co-ordinate with the Medical College in the aspirational districts for facilitating the various Maternal Health training;
(8) Facilitate the accreditation of the labour rooms & OTs under LaQshya programme and provide technical inputs for the roll out of SUMAN initiative;
(9) Provide Mentoring and Monitoring support in close coordination with the state quality team to strengthen quality assurance systems;
(10) Provide critical inputs for Labour room standardization at the delivery points with priority on high loaded institutions;
(11) Develop a continuous report on the functionality of the delivery points vis a vis the deployment of the skilled service providers;
(12) Co-ordinate with the development partners and International NGOs on the various Maternal health interventions;
(13) Provide technical support to interventions to address anaemia, still births and perinatal mortality;
(14) Facilitate the identification of the gaps and weakness in terms of the critical MH interventions in the high priority/aspirational districts and recommend suggestions to the Department;
(15) Provide inputs for institutionalisation of the review of maternal health interventions at the State and District level;
(16) Provide critical inputs in the analysis of the maternal health services related data for stronger implementation of the maternal health related interventions;
(17) Undertake a critical analysis of the Maternal Death Review in these high priority/ aspirational districts and provide recommendations and suggestions to the Department;
(18) Undertake field visits to the identified districts /aspirational districts and facilitate the adherence of the LaQshya guidelines;
(19) Provide inputs in promoting Post-partum sterilization in the high priority districts;
(20) Co-ordinate with UNFPA Rajasthan office and NHM and attend regular review meetings.

 

4. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES:

 

Qualification:
(1) Graduate in Medical (MBBS/ BDS/ BAMS/ BHMS) with Masters in Public Health or Preventive and Social Medicine or Health Management.

 

Experience:
(1) Atleast three to five years of predominant experience in technical aspects of programme management;
(2) Working experience and or familiarity with Government health system.

 

Skills and Competencies:

(1) Technical and Clinical Skills
(2) Good training skills
(3) Good skills in operating computers and MS Office package
(4) Creative skills and ability in planning, implementation and monitoring programs;
(5) Ability to understand and address development related issues
(6) Ability to work with a diverse group and settings
(7) Undertake travel to districts or other states.

 

5. NATURE OF ENGAGEMENT:

 

The State Maternal Health and Quality Assurance Consultant shall be hired on a consultancy contract through Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd. (SAMS), a respected HR Agency.

 

6. REMEUNERATION & PER DIEMS:

 

The selected candidate will be paid a consolidated amount of Rs. 1,50,000 – Rs. 1,70,000 per month.
 

7. LOCATION: Jaipur, Rajasthan

 

8. DURATION: The successful candidate shall be issued successive consultancy contracts for a period of one year by UNFPA’s third-party payrolling partner(s).

 

The initial contract from the date of joining till December 31, 2022, shall be issued by SAMS. The subsequent contract for the balance period shall be issued by SAMS and/or UNFPA’s successor third-party payrolling partner.

 

9. REFERENCE: SMHQA-RJ-UNFPA

 

10. CONTACT INFORMATION:

 

Team SAMS
Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd.
1/1B, Choudhary Hetram House, Bharat Nagar 
New Friends Colony, New Delhi 110 025
Phone Nos.: 011- 4081 9900; 4165 3612

 

11. APPLICATION PROCESS:

 

Eligible candidates interested in the position are requested to apply using the link https://recruitment.samshrm.com/Jobs/UNFPA, by or before November 7, 2022.

 

UNFPA is an equal opportunity employer. Applications from women are encouraged.