IT and Database Consultant at Health Systems Consult Limited (HSCL)

Reporting: Director / Secretary, BHCPF 

Background 

• The enactment of the National Health Act 2014 and establishment of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) in Section 11 represents a watershed moment in Nigeria’s path toward providing equitable access to care for Nigerians, and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Its implementation is to be based on the Guideline which stipulates the governance, administrative, funding, and monitoring mechanism for the Fund. 
• The BHCPF represents a sustainable model for ensuring equity and financial risk protection for the nation’s vulnerable populations, by guaranteeing effective access to a Basic Minimum Package of Health Services, funded from not less than one percent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), financial grants from local and international donors, partners, the private sector and philanthropic individuals.  
• The BHCPF is to be managed by a robust governance framework led by the Honourable Minister for Health at the federal level and Commissioners for Health at the state level who approve all proposals and reports at the respective levels. 
• The overall objective of the BHCPF is to ensure the provision of a Basic Minimum Package of Health Services (BMPHS) to all Nigerians and strengthen the Primary Health Care (PHC) system.  
• The Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) of the BHCPF functions as a national oversight group promoting robust collaboration amongst implementing agencies in the evolution and implementation of the BHCPF, reviewing annual work plans and budgets of federal and state implementing entities, as presented by implementing agencies, for endorsement.
• Review updates on the flow of funds, performance management and verification of results, evaluate periodic program reports submitted by the implementing agencies, review performance of the implementing entities based on a clear set of agreed-upon Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across the BHCPF program, and ensure that funds are disbursed, managed, and accounted for in a transparent manner and following the guideline. 
• The overall objective of the BHCPF is to: Ensure the provision of a Basic Minimum Package of Health Services (BMPHS) to all Nigerians and strengthen the Primary Health Care (PHC) system.  
• The BHCPF secretariat seeks the services of an IT and Database Consultant to provide technical support in the implementation of the fund. 

Rationale for the Role 

• The BHCPF will require a robust database beyond excel, that can be deployed down to the states and if possible health facilities for real time reporting and also has the capability for storing large volume data and advanced data analysis.
• It is expected that the DHIS 2 or another database already approved by government can be programmed to handle BHCPF data.
• Capacity will be required at all levels to manage the database and support will be required at the central level to deal with issues such as bugs, that come up from time to time.  

Scope of Work  
Specifically, the consultant will be responsible for the following:  

• Work with the M&E consultant to identify the database requirements to effectively implement the M&E plan and system 
• Develop user requirements for the database and present same to the secretariat and partners to build consensus  
• Conduct a SWOT analysis of the databases currently used by the FMOH and its partners and recommend the best one for the BHCPF 
• Support in vendor selection if it a system that requires a third-party vendor for development/customization and deployment  
• Ensure that all requirements from the M&E plan are built into the database  
• Coordinate capacity cuddling for the federal level and states on the use of the database for reporting analyzing and presenting data 
• Provide day-to-day trouble shooting support to the secretariat on the use of the database  
• Build capacity of at least one FMOH staff to be a power user/administrator of the database and managing issues that might arise 

Qualifications and Experience  

• Advanced training in informational technology or a related field 
• At least 5 years experience in developing, deploying and trouble shooting databases for large data 
• Knowledge of the health sector and some of the M&E platforms currently being used by the FMOH and its partners 
• Strong quantitative analytic skills v.    Ability to train and mentor others 
• Good communication skills 
• Able to work with diverse stakeholder needs with different needs 
• Good team player  

Duration of Consultancy

• The duration of this consultancy is 12 months, with the possibility of extension.