Emergency Nutrition Consultants(6 Position's in Bentiu,Bor,Torit,Kwajok,Malakal and Rumbek)

The socio-economic circumstances in South Sudan have continued to pose a threat to child survival and improved nutrition. The infant and under-five mortality rates are 84/1,000 and 106/1,000 respectively; only 25% of the population has access to health services; access to improved water sources (30 minutes round trip) is 34%, and 15.4% of the population use improved sanitation facilities (SHHS 2010). The WFP consolidated Food Security Monitoring report for February 2011 indicates that 48% of the population is food insecure. The effect of a fairly good agricultural season in 2010 has been undermined by increased influx of returnees, mass internal displacements from Abyei and escalating food and fuel prices along with increase internal conflicts and subsequent livelihood insecurities. Monthly reports from experienced nutrition partners managing acute malnutrition in children in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity and Warrap states indicate an exponential increase in admissions in April - June 2011.

These high acute malnutrition rates contribute to excessive child mortality, irreversible impairment to child growth and development, and a constant need to treat malnourished children. Recent pre-harvest nutrition surveys have reported unacceptably high levels of child mortality in Aweil East county in NBeG, Kapoeta South county in Eastern Equatoria, Cueibet county in Lakes and Raja county in WBeG. The scope of active nutrition surveillance and management of acute malnutrition in children, pregnant and lactating women is limited to counties with nutrition partners, and the capacity of nutrition NGOs and the Ministry of Health for responding to new nutrition emergencies in the critical states is limited.

Justification

Through stakeholder consultation, strengthened partnership, capacity mapping and gap analysis the nutrition cluster has identified some key programmatic priorities for ensuring a systematic approach in designing and implementing emergency nutrition responses in geographic areas in need. These include (i) strengthening implementation of the cluster approach at state level to ensure well defined mechanism for intra- and inter-cluster coordination of preparedness and response; (ii) expanding the scope of active community based nutrition surveillance and management of acute malnutrition in children, by enhancing the capacity of health sector partners delivering Primary Health Care services through mentoring, (iii) promoting blanket supplementation of children 6-24 months with Plumpy doz, and children 2-5 years, pregnant and lactating women with emergency food rations (BP 5) (iv) treatment of moderately and severely malnourished children with RUTFs, micronutrients, anti-helminthics and antibiotics; (v) supplementation of pregnant and lactating women with multiple micronutrient preparations; and (vi) strengthening integration of promotion of appropriate infant and young child feeding and caring practices at CMAM sites.

Some inroads have been made in establishing partnership with health NGOs working in underserved areas in Jonglei, Eastern Equatoria and Lakes states to integrate CMAM into the PHC services. The NGO and government health and nutrition staff who were mentored by experience nutritionists and provided supportive supervision over 6 months are now conducting community based nutrition screening and SMART surveys, setting up out-patient treatment programs for un-complicated cases of acute malnutrition, and referring complicated cases to Primary Health Care Centers for rehabilitation. This experience needs to be expanded to underserved counties with alarming levels of acute malnutrition in the high risk states as well as in states receiving high numbers of internally displaced persons and returnees but having limited experienced partners (i.e. Unity, Jonglei, Eastern Equatoria and Lakes). It requires technical capacity enhancement for SMOHs, CHDs, new NGOs, CBOs, FBOs and Mother Support Groups so they can screen children in communities within the catchment areas of primary health care facilities, establish referral systems for those in need of treatment, provide appropriate therapies, and disseminate nutrition messages on appropriate infant and young child feeding in emergencies, micronutrient supplementation, hygiene promotion, measles vaccinations, and home based care in collaboration with the Health, WASH and Food Security and Livelihood clusters.

Specific Tasks

Under the direct supervision of the Chief of the UNICEF Malakal Zonal Office, and technical guidance of the Nutrition Specialist in the UNICEF Juba Area Office, the consultant will:

 Identify health and nutrition sector partners and conduct capacity mapping of current and potential partners in the state.  Build the capacity of health and nutrition sector partners in conducting rapid assessments to determine the presence and extent of nutritional emergencies in the state, followed by SMART surveys on valid samples of children, pregnant and lactating women in the Hot Spots in the state to assess the need for an emergency nutrition response.  Build the capacity of health and nutrition partners in collection and analysis of nutrition data, in report writing and dissemination.  Provide technical support to the State Ministry of Health and partners in developing a system for continuous surveillance of nutritional status in emergency-affected areas, including monitoring the adequacy of food distribution systems and the impact of interventions, and routinely reporting on the nutrition situation in the state.  Support the State Ministry of Health in organising joint reviews of all emergency nutrition assessment results and reports prior to broader circulation, ensuring adherence to standard emergency nutrition assessment methodology.  Provide technical support to the State Ministry of Health staff and partners in development of an emergency preparedness and response plan for the state based on the situation on the ground and in consultation with key stakeholders, with provision for building local capacities for emergency nutrition assessments and response  Provide technical support for establishment of stabilisation centres and outpatient treatment programmes within the state for management of children with severe acute malnutrition and other vulnerable groups based on need.  Support the Ministry of Health in ensuring regular coordination of emergency nutrition activities among health and nutrition sector partners engaged in emergency nutrition response.  Ensure that emergency nutrition responses are in line with existing policy guidance, international and national technical and human rights standards, and relevant Government human rights legal obligations.  Assist the State Ministry of Health in reviewing project proposals for strengthening emergency nutrition preparedness and response from national and international NGOs operating in the state, ensuring adequate provision for transition and exit strategies for nutrition interventions  Assess training needs of State Nutrition staff and Health sector partners and national NGOs for emergency nutrition assessments/information system and response, develop training plan, train staff from MOH, NGO and CBO partners and assess impact of training of those staff.  Ensure joint monitoring and supportive supervision of nutrition responses in the state.  Assist the zonal office in maintaining effective communication with national and international stakeholders at state and central levels through the Nutrition Cluster and Technical Working Groups.

Expected Deliverables

1. Inventory and contact details of NGOs/partners operating in Health and Nutrition sector in the state.
2. Reports of rapid/emergency nutrition assessments in all the Hot Spots identified in the state.
3. Map/table of Hot Spots and nutrition programme responses in the state developed, in consultation with the Health and Nutrition cluster partners.
4. Emergency preparedness and response plan for the state developed; Training plan, agenda and materials for training state MOH, NGO and /or CBO staff in the area of nutrition assessments and response, promotion of infant and young child feeding and information management
5. 30 staff from SMOH and NGO programmes trained in rapid assessments and in community based management of severe acute malnutrition
6. 4 new Health NGO or CBO Programmes in the state with capacity and set up to provide therapeutic services for severely malnourished children with SC and OTP components.
7. Soft copy of database set up for the Nutrition Information System and users guide
8. Minutes of monthly Health and Nutrition Coordination meetings
9. Draft Programme Cooperation Agreements with new NGO and/or CBO partners for emergency nutrition response in Jonglei state.
10. Nutrition inputs into weekly situation reports prepared by the zonal office.

Expected background and Experience

1. Advanced university degree in nutrition/public health, with at least 3 years experience in nutrition surveillance and conducting nutrition surveys in emergency context, as well as in setting up appropriate therapeutic responses.
2. Experience in using EpiInfo, ENA, GIS, Access, Excel and other related software packages, and in management of nutrition data and information systems
3. Experience in working in conflict affected insecure locations
4. Ability to work in culturally diverse and sensitive environments, and provide on-the-job training of national staff and counterparts
5. Ability to work effectively with minimal supervision, and meet tight deadlines
6. Fluency in written and spoken English
7. Good organizational and planning skills
8. Good analytical, negotiating and advocacy skills.
9. Good presentation and reporting skills.

General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics

• DSA for journeys outside duty station as per existing UNICEF rules • DSA payment while in Juba, at the current Juba rate depending on choice of accommodation. i.e. $164 for commercial facility, $87 for UN Guest Houses, or $73 for other accommodation. • UNICEF will provide a laptop and all office supplies related directly to the tasks for the duration of the consultancy. • If any field mission is undertaken, the movement of the consultant will be facilitated by UNICEF, and in compliance with UN security rules and regulations. • The consultant will comply with UN security rules and regulations. • Fees for the consultant will be dependent on the completion of deliverables as well as hand-over notes and submission of a consultancy Performance Evaluation Report (PER). • UNICEF will only cover the costs of an economy class ticket from destination to Juba and back. All flight costs within South Sudan will also be covered by UNICEF. Unless authorized, UNICEF will buy the tickets of the consultant. In exceptional cases, the consultant may be authorized to buy his/her travel tickets and shall be reimbursed at the “most economical and direct route” but this must be agreed to beforehand.

Policy both parties should be aware of:

 The consultant is not entitled to payment of overtime. All remuneration must be within the contract agreement.  No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant.  For international consultants outside the duty station, signed contracts must be sent by fax or email. Signed contract copy or written agreement must be received by the office before the consultant can be allowed to travel to the field.  No travel in lieu of the contract will be undertaken by the consultant to the duty station without prior submission of insurance cover and waiver in the event of injury while executing the duty.  The consultant will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.  Consultant will be required to sign the Health statement for consultants/Individual contractor prior to taking up the assignment, and to document that they have appropriate health insurance, including Medical Evacuation.  The Form 'Designation, change or revocation of beneficiary' must be completed by the consultant upon arrival, at the HR Section

Please send your Cv and UN P-11 to jubavacancies@unicef.org