State Consultant at Malaria Consortium

Job Description

• Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) and Vitamin A Supplementation (VAS) are life-saving health interventions delivered hitherto through siloed periodic mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns to children below five years of age. While SMC has recorded high acceptability and coverage (often above 95%), VAS coverage has been below 46%, nationally (NDHS 2018). Given WHO’s recommendation that delivery of health interventions be integrated where possible to maximize effectiveness, implementation research was designed to improve Vitamin A coverage through integration with SMC campaigns delivered through a common door-to-door approach.
• The study is being conducted in Niger State. The State has 25 LGAs with Minna as its administrative center. The target population for the SMC+VAS integrated campaign is primarily children between the age range of 6-59 months.

Purpose of Assignments

• The purpose of this Term of Reference (ToR) is to engage research consultant that will conduct endline qualitative survey (FGDs and KIIs). The Consultant will oversee the entire qualitative aspect of the project, ensuring timely and high-quality delivery and providing technical guidance and leadership to the research team.

Scope

• The scope of the study will focus on evaluating the effectiveness (coverage and quality) of VAS co-implementation with SMC when implemented at scale. It will also assess if integrating VAS into SMC reduces the uptake of other key MNCHW interventions.
• The endline evaluation will be conducted 25 Local Governments in Niger State where SMC+VAS integrated campaign is being implemented. The KII component of the qualitative research will be conducted among state-level stakeholders in Niger State. This will entail engaging and training of data collectors, who will conduct the data collection as well as transcribing. Data will be collected using paper-based FGD and KII guides, notes and voice recorders.

Specific Tasks for the State Consultants

• Attend training to understand the study and their roles as stated above.
• Arrange for selection of participants, and venue for discussion and interviews
• Participate in field testing of FGD and KII guides
• Obtain Inform Consent from respondents before the interview
• Facilitate focus group discussion and key informants’ interviews assigned
• Note taking and recording of interviews
• Transcription of FGDs and KII notes and recordings
• Facilitate summarization of transcripts
• Keep the survey data confidential and safe
• Submit FGD/KII audio recordings and notes to Lead Consultant (LC)
• Prepare brief field report for submission to Lead Consultant

Evaluation Deliverables

• Completed Stakeholders Basic Information Sheets
• Recorded discussions and interviews
• Complete set of transcribed notes of KIIs and FGDs
• Summarized transcripts
• Process report
• Timeliness and adherence to the timeline

Qualifications and Experience

• A Degree in Sciences, Social, Behavioral or Health Sciences
• Familiarity with qualitative data collection and experience in transcription
• At 3-5 years experience in the conduct and management of qualitative studies
• Ability to work within stipulated time frame
• Demonstrate report writing skills for qualitative study
• Understanding of the context and setting of interventions in the north
• Must not be part of SMC/IMNCH personnel in whatever capacity (National, State, LGA, HFW, CHW, TA or LM)
• Must not be a staff of Government at any level and in any Ministry at the time of engagement/activity.
• Hausa language is compulsory.