Malaria Diagnosis External Quality Assessment (EQA) Consultant at Management Sciences For Health - MSH

Ref No: R255

Background

• The US President’s Malaria Initiative for States (PMI-S) project is a five-year USAID flagship malaria project managed by Management Sciences for Health (MSH) with consortium partners Thinkwell, Banyan Global and the Nigeria Interfaith Action Association (NIFAA).
• The project supports the Government of Nigeria through its agencies at the federal, state, local government areas (LGA) and community levels to reduce under-five and maternal mortality by delivering quality services for the prevention and management of malaria and its complications.
• The objectives of TO 03 are to: (i) Improve the quality of and access to comprehensive malaria case management services, including improved accuracy of malaria testing through a functional diagnostic quality assurance system (ii) Improve data quality, interpretation and use; (iii) Improve drug-based prevention and treatment approaches (mainly intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy); and (iv) Strengthen existing health systems and improve State Malaria Elimination Program (SMEP) management.

Consultancy Overview

• One of the objectives of the PMI-S project is to improve the quality of malaria case management services by improving the accuracy of malaria testing through a functional diagnostic quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) system.
• Malaria diagnosis quality assurance are to ensure that health care professionals and patients have full confidence in the laboratory result and the diagnostic results benefit the patient and the community.
• PMI-S, in collaboration with SMEP and Hospitals Management Board (HMB), plan to conduct malaria diagnosis EQA in Oyo and Akwa Ibom states. We are seeking to engage two technical consultants to support implementation of the EQA activities (one per state).
• The key result of this consultancy is establishment of state EQA team with capacity to undertake QA/QC activities with minimal or no external support.

Consultancy Tasks:

• Task 1: Support the SMEP/SMOH to undertake a baseline assessment of existing state EQA capacity to implement QA/QC activities. The assessment will include a listing and compilation of a database of all previously trained EQA team members in the states, their proficiency levels, and date of previous training; capacity needs for the state EQA center to provide materials and training for human resources in implementation of QA/QC activities.
• Task 2: Orient the state EQA team on the national quality assurance (QA) tools and guidelines for conducting malaria diagnosis quality assurance activity for both microscopy and mRDT.
• Task 3: Provide technical assistance to state QA team on slide validation using National standard operating procedure (SOPs), field quality control of mRDT using positive control wells, on-site visit and support for review meetings to address technical and operational challenges affecting delivery of quality malaria diagnosis services at primary health care facilities and hospitals.
• Task 4: Provide TA to the SMEP/SMOH to constitute a state EQA team with clear TOR, identify trained staff that are proficient in conducting QA activity and recommend them as potential facilitators for QA/QC activities, including training, in the state.
• Task 5: Support states to develop schedule for laboratory supervision and mentoring of laboratory scientists to improve proficiency in malaria microscopy.
• Task 6: Built capacity of state QA teams on preparation of comprehensive report of QA activities.
• Task 7: Conduct debriefing meeting with State Ministry of health, SMEP, Hospital Management Board and other relevant stakeholders in each state to address issues and challenges affecting the EQA activity and advocate for state government support.
• Task 8: Provide TA to the SMOH/SMEP to develop and implement plan for establishing a state malaria EQA center. The plan will include human resources, infrastructure and space, equipment, furniture, reagents and supplies, SOPs, processes and procedures.

Deliverables:

• Baseline Capacity report.
• Database of human resources.
• State EQA team, old and new, after reconstitution.
• Plan for establishing EQA center.
• QA/QC reports from site visits.
• EQA center established.

Desired Experience and Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree and a postgraduate degree in relevant profession such as Medical Laboratory Science, Medical Parasitology, Medical Microbiology and Public Health.
• The candidate must possess at least 5-6 years professional experience in malaria control programming related to diagnosis and case management.
• Must be registered with the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN); and with WHO certification in Malaria Microscopy as an added advantage.
• Technical expertise in supporting malaria diagnosis quality assurance systems at the federal and state levels in Nigeria, in collaboration with State Malaria Elimination Programs and implementing partners.
• Demonstrated experience working with states on developing and implementing capacity building processes including mentoring.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office packages.