Consultant - ACSM Guideline Review at Breakthrough ACTION

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE FINALISATION OF THE NATIONAL ACSM GUIDE 2021 – 2025 AND THE FINALISATION OF THE NATIONAL MALARIA SBC STRATEGIES DOCUMENT

Breakthrough ACTION Nigeria (BA-N) is a five-year cooperative agreement funded through field support (October 2017-September 2022). The goal of BA-N is to increase the practice of 17 priority individual and household level behaviors and five service provider targeted behaviors in the areas of malaria; maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition (MNCH+N); family planning (FP) and reproductive health (RH); and tuberculosis (TB), while increasing the capacity of national and sub-national entities to coordinate and oversee quality SBC programming. A key mandate of the BA-N project is to provide technical support to the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) in the areas of Advocacy Communication and Social Mobilisation (ACSM).

The NMEP with the support of partners have committed itself to a strategy of universal coverage for all malaria interventions as the optimal approach to malaria control. The current Malaria Strategic Plan covers the period 2014 and 2020 and is meant to reduce malaria burden to pre-elimination levels and bring malaria-related mortality to zero.

In view of the above, the NMEP is conducting the review of the 2014 – 2020 ACSM Guide to developing a new 2021 – 2025 National ACSM Guide that will reflect the necessary changes needed for the implementation of effective malaria interventions. This will be complemented by the National Malaria SBC Strategies document that details specific strategies and interventions based on regional, State, and LGA peculiarities and needs across Nigeria.

The Consultancy

Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria requires the services of a seasoned consultant, knowledgeable in malaria ACSM and SBC and is versed in the development of national strategies and guidelines. The consultancy requires sound technical knowledge, expertise, experience, collective work responsibilities, and coordination. The consultant will conduct thematic desk reviews; planning meetings, and facilitate a consensus workshop with relevant partners and the NMEP and produce first drafts of the 2021 – 2025 ACSM Guidelines and the National SBC Strategies document in addition to a technical report.

The consultancy period will be 15 billable days in July 2021

Scope of work

Produce a final draft of the 2021 - 2025 ACSM Guidelines and finalize an SBC Implementation Plan/Strategy Package (2021 – 2025) in line with the National Malaria Strategic Plan (2021 – 2025).

Methodology

• Conduct desk review of reports of surveys to understand existing issues and challenges
• Facilitate meetings for the review of relevant documents

• Hold consultations with Roll Back Malaria (RBM) partners collaborating with the ACSM Branch to understand current issues, challenges and gaps to be filled.
• Facilitate workshops to review the current National Malaria ACSM Guide and develop an SBC Implementation Plan/Strategy Package in alignment with the current NMSP.
• Facilitate the presentation of the first draft of the documents to ACSM sub-committee members and relevant partners at the national and state level for comments.
• Revise the first draft of the National Malaria ACSM Guide based on comments and collate information for the production of a first draft of the SBC Implementation Plan/Strategy Package.
• Revise the initial drafts based on comments from the stakeholders and develop the second drafts.
• Present the second drafts to ACSM committee members and finalize the versions based on inputs received.
• Support the dissemination of the final National Malaria ACSM Guide and SBC Implementation Plan/Strategy Package (2021 - 2025).

Deliverables

• An initial draft of the 2021-2025 National Malaria ACSM Guideline with revisions from partners.
• The new SBC Implementation Plan/Strategy Package (2021 – 2015).
• Activity report detailing the process, challenges, and lessons learned.

Qualifications and required skills

• A minimum of a master’s in Mass Communication, Health Promotion or relevant discipline, including Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
• A minimum of 10 years’ previous experience in malaria SBCC/ACSM
• Prior experience in conducting program review on the subject - ACSM and supporting National Programme or providing Technical Assistance in the same field is essential
• Well versed with conducting health-related desk reviews.
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Good Interpersonal Communication (IPC) skills; and an understanding of the current National ACSM Guide and National Malaria Strategic Plan and best practices for Social and Behavioural Change Communication.
• Ability to work well both within a team and independently.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook; and Email.

Supervision

BA-N Deputy Director Malaria/TB, and the Head, NMEP ACSM Branch will provide technical guidance and support during the consultancy.