Consultancy for National Guideline / Service Protocol for SSNB at Jhpiego - John Hopkins University

Overview

• Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of women, newborns, children, and families through evidence-based, quality-driven, and sustainable health system strengthening interventions.
• As part of its mandate, Jhpiego supports national and sub national governments to enhance the capacity of frontline health workers to deliver high-quality, respectful, and standardized child health services.
• The Global Every Newborn Action Plan emphasizes the need to focus newborn interventions around the time of birth to achieve the greatest impact. In alignment with this, Nigeria recognizes the need to strengthen policies for large-scale implementation by developing and updating policies, strategies, standards, guidelines, and training tools relevant to:
  • The content of intervention packages for newborn care
  • The commodities, medications, supplies, and equipment required for effective implementation.
• This is articulated under Activity 4.5.1 of the Nigeria Every Newborn Action Plan (NiENAP).
• The plan further highlights the need to establish and strengthen Special Care Baby Units (SCBUs) at secondary healthcare facilities and Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) at selected tertiary facilities. 
• Additionally, the National Strategic Health Development Plan II (NSHDP II) underscores the importance of comprehensive and advanced newborn care services at referral facilities and outlines key interventions that should be available at these levels of care.
• The overall objective of this consultancy is to review and update the National Guideline and Service Protocol for Comprehensive Newborn Care Services for sick and small newborns at referral hospitals in Nigeria.

Methodology

• The development process will be conducted in phases, beginning with an initial consultative session involving the National Newborn Subcommittee. 
• This will be followed by a six-day technical review meeting and a four-day finalization meeting. 
• The finalized document will subsequently be validated by the National Newborn Subcommittee before launching and dissemination.

Scope of Work

• The Consultant shall provide technical leadership throughout the process of reviewing and updating the National Guideline and Service Protocol for Comprehensive Care of Sick and Small Newborns in Nigeria, from inception through to the production of print-ready documents.

Responsibilities
The Consultant shall:

• Work closely with the Newborn Health Desk Officer in the Newborn Branch, Child Health Division, Family Health Department, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare throughout the consultancy period.
• Support preparatory activities for each workshop, including:
  • Facilitating planning meetings.
  • Identifying and organizing relevant reference materials.
  • Developing guidance for group work sessions; and
  • Preparing workshop agendas and other tools required for effective implementation.
• In addition to remote communications, the Consultant shall arrive at least one day before each workshop to finalize preparations.
• During workshops, make technical presentations, facilitate sessions, ensure proper documentation of proceedings, and collate outputs from plenary and group discussions.
• Following each workshop, harmonize outputs and prepare:
  • A comprehensive workshop report; and
  • A PowerPoint presentation summarizing key decisions and recommendations for subsequent meetings and dissemination activities.
• Between workshops, collaborate remotely with relevant stakeholders to incorporate recommendations and agreed revisions into the evolving guideline and service protocol.
• Review and proofread the final draft documents before printing to ensure technical accuracy, consistency, and quality.

Required Qualifications
Consultants engaged for this assignment must:

• Be a certified Neonatologist.
• Be a Course Director for the Comprehensive Newborn Care Course or have recently led the review of a newborn care protocol, guideline, or textbook related to newborn care in Nigeria within the last one year.
• Be a member of the Neonatal Society of Nigeria (NISONM).
• Be employed in a Federal Tertiary Health Institution.