'Seeing is Believing’ Child eye health in Nigeria, experienced in programme design/planning, Nigerian National at CBM

CBM will participate in a consortium with other partners in the implementation of a proposed comprehensive child eye health project in six clusters across the country. CBM will implement comprehensive child eye health in three of the clusters in the north-west, north-central and south-west of Nigeria.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the largest global burden (23%) of the estimated 1.4 million blind children, compared with India (19%) and China (13%)[1]. A direct link exists between the incidence of blindness and poverty, with 90% of the world’s blind living in developing countries. Child eye health programmes are critical for countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 3 “Good health” and 4 “Quality education”.

According to ORBIS 2011, the WHO recommends one paediatric ophthalmic centre per ten million population. However, the report affirms that child eye health programmes are scarce in SSA. Where they exist, they are often small scale; lack a comprehensive approach and are not part of the national plans for health.

A recent situational analysis of child eye health programmes in Nigeria[2] documents identified gaps in child eye health services in the country. It also provides some recommendations on the possible clusters and strategies for implementation of a comprehensive child eye health in Nigeria.

A comprehensive child eye health is expected to comprise the following components:

i. Promotion: activities targeted at various stakeholders at different levels to raise awareness and advocate child eye health
ii. Prevention: activities geared towards prevention of child eye health impairments and blindness e.g., early detection, vitamin A supplementation, eye screening
iii. Curative: a range of medical and surgical interventions, including infrastructure, supplies and equipment
iv. Rehabilitation: services and interventions directed at helping children with impairments that are not correctible with medical or surgical interventions to function to their potentials. Part of these are modifications and provisions for universal designs in basic services to make them accessible to all, including children with disabilities e.g., education

2. Consultancy Objective, Project Areas, Scope, and Deliverables
Objective

The overall objective of this consultancy is to design and plan the implementation of a three-year (2018-2020) child eye health project in three clusters across Nigeria.
Project areas

The proposed comprehensive child eye health project would be implemented in the following clusters:

    South-west – Oyo, Osun, Ogun
    North-central – Plateau, Nasarawa, FCT
    North-west – Kano, Katsina, Jigawa

Scope of work

The scope of work for the consultancy is as follows:

i. Review of the report of the 2016 situation analysis of child eye health needs and services in Nigeria undertaken by Standard Chartered Bank and the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)
ii. Review of global, regional and national resources on comprehensive child eye health
iii. Review and map policy and strategy on comprehensive eye care health at both national and state level for CBM identified clusters
iv. Identify and review best practice in Nigeria in delivery of comprehensive eye care (Lagos apparently is used as barometer for good practice)
v. Mapping of existing local eye health actors and resources, including rehabilitation services for children with vision impairments and blind children in clusters 1-3 above. The mapping would also include identification of gaps in existing resources
vi. Project design (including stakeholders meetings, problem analysis, logframe and budget development) in a participatory way with the implementing partners and beneficiaries, development of coordination and M&E systems for each of clusters 1-3
vii. Advice on expertise and coordination arrangements for each cluster’s activities implementation and reporting, as well as advice on required expertise and skills for leading a consortium
viii. Attendance at consortium meetings
ix. Coordination with CBM programme manager and finance and administration manager

3. Methodology

The consultancy would undertake the design/planning of the project activities in clusters 1-3 (as listed above). This would include mapping of relevant child eye health actors and resources in the cluster areas and facilitation of interested local partnerships for the project. Additionally, it would include stakeholders’ engagement in each of the clusters for problem analysis, setting of goals and objectives, development of logframe or theory of change and budget plans, as well as establishment of coordination and M&E plans. It is envisaged that the M&E plan would take the security situation of the country into consideration. Furthermore, the design/planning would be participatory, including implementing partners and beneficiaries and would reflect disability-inclusive approach in eye health delivery, in addition to the rehabilitation component of the comprehensive eye health programme (see the attached CBM inclusive eye health document).

Furthermore, the consultant(s) would provide advice on the required expertise and skills for the coordination of activities in each of the clusters, as well as expertise and skills for leading a consortium, if necessary.

All expected outputs would be disseminated to relevant stakeholders CBM CO/RO/UK (hereby known as CBM) and implementing partners. PowerPoint presentations of the key outputs would be made to CBM, and subsequently submitted to the same.

4. Consultancy Team and Management Responsibilities
Commissioning responsibility
CBM will commission the consultancy.

The consultants will report directly to CBM Country Representative (CR) in Nigeria, and via the CR to the Programme Manager (PM) in the UK. The country office will provide relevant background documents necessary for the assignment; ensure compliance with CBM standards on inclusive and participatory approaches; follow up on a weekly basis (including through meetings, feedback on draft documents of the proposal), support logistics. There will be regular phone conference updates (frequency to be agreed) with CBM CR and PM, who will give approval of final version of proposal.

CBM will be responsible for the financial implications of meetings and other activities under the consultancy.

The consultants will develop an inception report, including a technical offer for implementing the assignment, for review by CBM.

The draft concept note/proposal and draft report will be shared with the implementing partners and CBM for review and feedback. The final proposal and report will be sent to CBM for approval and sign-off. The final instalment of consultant’s fees will be disbursed following sign-off by CBM.

CBM has the responsibility for submitting the final proposal to the donor.

Consultancy Team

The consultancy team will comprise the expertise listed below. Considering the fact that one person is not likely to possess all the required expertise needed for the successful completion of the assignment, it is up to the candidate to offer the option of a team or a single person. In case of an option of a team, the candidate will describe the human resource profile (including expertise, human resource number, days allocated, tasks allocated, team leader) of the team in the technical offer.

Academic qualifications

i. MBBS / MBChB plus Master’s in Public Health or
ii. BSc Sociology or equivalent, with backgrounds in eye health management and/or public health
iii. Fellowship training in paediatric ophthalmology or
iv. Fellowship training in ophthalmology with demonstrated experience in pediatric ophthalmology
Experience
i. At least, five years professional experience in eye health development programming in an African setting, preferably in Nigeria
ii. Working experience in paediatric ophthalmology in Nigeria
iii. Project cycle management
iv. Significant experience in the development and coordination of project design/planning in a consortium setting
v. Understanding of disability-inclusive, gender-sensitive development
vi. Security and safety, particularly project implementation and monitoring in volatile environment and/or distance monitoring
vii. Demonstrated experience in working with the government, eye health actors and other stakeholders in the project areas, particularly at policy level, community level, as well as in the area of capacity development for child eye health service delivery

Skills and competencies

i. Ability to work with regular supervision, and meet deadlines
ii. High level written and oral communication skills in English
iii. Result-oriented, a team player, high level of enthusiasm and integrity
iv. Excellent interpersonal and professional skills in interacting with government and development partners
v. Skills in facilitation of stakeholder engagements/workshops
vi. Understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of working across public sectors (notably health and education) for an integrated approach
vii. Understanding of the dynamics of working in clusters
viii. Understanding of the intricacies of working in consortiums with other stakeholders

5. Management of the consultancy and logistics

The consultant(s) have the responsibility for:
· Coordination of the design/planning activities, including organising workshops and/or meetings as described in the scope of work above
CBM has the responsibility for:
· Overall coordination of the consultancy
· Recruitment of consultants
· Liaising with consortium members
· Covering the following costs through funds from CBM
o Transportation to activity sites
o Hotel accommodation and feeding costs, which will be covered by consultants and reimbursed by CBM with appropriate payment vouchers, at a rate not higher than N20,000 per day

6. Expected Results

The following products are expected (These are only indicative for now. The dates could be reviewed by either party, as necessary):
Detailed inception report, including detailed work-plan due by: 10 June 2016
Draft concept note / proposal (clusters 1-3) due by: 06 July 2016
Final concept note / proposal (clusters 1-3) due by: 23 July 2016
Final consultancy report due by: 09 August 2016

7. **Duration

About 50 days between June and August 2016 (Detailed timetable would be worked out jointly by the consultant and CBM).

8. Costs and payments

8.1 Costs

The consultant(s) shall submit to CBM an expression of interest indicating their daily rates for the assignment. The available daily rate for the consultancy is up to the maximum of €300. CBM will negotiate with the consultant the final fees in line with the budget available for this assignment, and based on the experience of the chosen candidate.

8.2 Schedule of payments

· Signing Contract : First advance of 20%
· Submission of draft project design (clusters 1-3): Second advance of 30%
· Approval of final project design and final report by CBM – 50%

8.3 Mode of payments: Bank transfers

9. Dispute/ Dispute Resolution / Term and Termination

In the event of disagreement between the consultant and CBM, the disagreement will be brought to the attention of the Director of International Programmes at CBM UK (the funding body for this consultancy).
Either party may terminate this agreement with not less than 2 weeks written notice, whereafter the contract will expire. Payment will be on a pro-rata basis until date of expiry.

10. Confidentiality / non-disclosure.

The consultant(s) agree to keep the terms of this contract and any information s/he obtains during the course of the consultancy inclusive of budgets.