Consultant to develop health financing strategy for Zanzibar
- (2204771)
Contractual Arrangement: External consultant
Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 66 DAYS
Primary Location: Tanzania, United Republic of-Zanzibar
Organization: AF_TZA Tanzania
Schedule: Full-time
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that the deadline for receipt
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Purpose of the consultancy
Background
Fair and sustainable financing is essential for achieving
Universal Health Coverage. The overall health policy objective is to ensure
that all Zanzibaris have access to quality and equitable health services
rendered in a cost effective and affordable manner.
The World Health Report in 2010, expressed the need to
ensure that people can obtain the health care services they need without the
fear of being impoverished in paying for them. In Zanzibar, health financing
reform was explored from early 2000 by considering other options of financing
health care such as cost sharing in government health facilities. They were
more consolidated during the year 2013/14 when a feasibility of introducing
National Health Insurance Scheme was undertaken. The report shows that it is
possible, and the design of the scheme was completed. The proposed National
Health Insurance Scheme was suspended in 2019 since the government was not in
agreement with the proposed scheme which is contributory. The new administration
in 2021 decided to revive the scheme. The new scheme i.e Zanzibar Health
Insurance Scheme is now in advanced stage.
The government wishes to come up with a strategy that will
outlines appropriate sources of health financing that ensure the health needs
of people are met to all with without financial barrier and health provision is
made much more efficient and effective by adopting strategic purchasing over
the next the next 5-10 years. Presently, the health system is affected by
multiple inefficiencies, including but not limited to structural inefficiencies
such governance, unavailability of one national insurance, and health system
fragmentation. These inefficiencies affect the revenue raising and pooling
efforts needed for optimized and resilient health financing. Strategies to
address this are required.
To meet these needs the Ministry of Health in Zanzibar
embarked on a number of initiatives and reforms. It was further resolved that
these reforms should be done in a comprehensive and systematic way. This
necessitates the development of a medium to long term health financing
strategy. So far, some analytical work has been done through various studies
which will be used as inputs to the strategy; the studies include NHAs, PERs,
Household Budget Surveys, HF Policy Note, HF System Analysis, and a costed
Essential Health Package, among others. Furthermore, four Preparatory Workshops
have taken place; the first with members of the Health Financing Technical
Working Group, the second and third with health financing stakeholders and the
fourth with Senior Management in the Ministry of Health. These workshops
focused on health financing concepts, principles and values guiding reform and
what could be learned from country’s Health Financing Strategies and their
implementation.
Scope and Methodology
The work will include reviewing of “minimum” benefit
packages based on source of funding considering the roles of tax, social and
private health insurance and out-of-pocket payments. Deciding on the structure
of the insurance market, i.e. define the roles of Health Insurance and
individual insurers; extent of management/decision rights at public providers
taking into account the need for efficient management and necessary human
capacities; Define the role of performance oriented financing and identify
reform potentials recognizing the role of management autonomy;
Evaluate and define the role of equity-oriented financing
and identify reform potentials with a special focus on the role of the budget
and formula funding. Develop a plan for including the poor and vulnerable in
social health protection
The consultancy is expected to:
Work with Technical Working Group (TWG) of Health Care
Financing and Public Financial Management of the MOHSWEGC
Conduct consultation with the relevant stakeholders.
Desk reviews for all relevant documents including policy
document, health sector strategic plan, evaluation reports and best practice
from other countries
Present the final draft of the Zanzibar Health Financing
Strategy to the MOHSWEGC Management Committee and stakeholders:
Summary of Assigned Duties: Review key policy documents
Conduct literature review of sustainable financing
strategies in developing countries
Present and share different alternative options and
strategies in their generic form to the technical working group Healthcare
Financing
Diagnose health systems performance in terms of UHC,
identifying problems and the underlying causes
Contribute to organise and structure the discussion of
country specific objectives.
Identify strategic reforms, policies and actions required to
meet country specific objectives
Propose the necessary governance and capacity building
arrangement to ensure implementation of strategic reforms
Develop monitoring and evaluation systems to monitor
progress and adjust implementation accordingly.
Assessment of current situation of healthcare financing in
Zanzibar.
Produce a summary of key finding of the Zanzibar healthcare
financing.
Develop set of healthcare financing options suitable for
Zanzibar context.
Present those options with benefits and drawbacks to
MOHSWEGC senior management.
Develop agreeable health financing goals and vision for the
health sector based on UHC
Develop draft healthcare financing strategy with
implementation and monitoring and evaluation framework for Zanzibar and way
forward for the options decided upon.
Technical Supervision
Objective
The Main objective of the consultancy will be to assist the
Ministry of Health to develop a medium- to long-term Health Financing Strategy
to facilitate achievement of universal coverage.
More specifically;
Engage policy makers and other senior entities to discuss
and agree on the overall goals and vision for the health sector, based on UHC
aspirations;
Review the health financing landscape with a view to
diagnosing the present health system’s performance in terms of UHC; identify
problems and their underlying causes
Develop/propose specific objectives needed to steer the
country towards universal health coverage;
Identify strategic reforms and actions needed to realize the
stated objectives, including, but not limited to
strategies in eliminating health financing fragmentations;
appropriate actions to improve efficiency and effectiveness
of health financing to providers;
A review of the existing and proposed health benefits.
Outline the governance and capacity building actions needed
to ensure implementation of the proposed strategic reforms
Outline the evaluation modalities/framework needed to
monitor implementation aspects and corrective actions as may be needed.
Specific Requirements
LANGUAGE:
Essential: Fluency in both English and Swahili language.
Desirable: Working knowledge of other UN language is an
added advantage.
EDUCATION:
Essential: Masters’ Degree in Public Health or Health
Economics or above
Desirable: Ph.D. in Public Health or Health Economics is an
added advantage.
NEW TANZANIAN JOBS, INTERNSHIPS AND VOLUNTEERING
OPPORTUNITIES 2022 (1,475 POSTS)
EXPERIENCE:
Essential:
The Consultant must have at least 5 - 7 years’ experience on
health financing related tasks.
Desirable:
At least 5 years in developing of health financing
strategies
The Consultancy firm or individual for this assignment must
have the following qualifications;
Registered as a consulting firm or an individual by
appropriate authority.
Evidence of working experience of at least five years in
developing health financing strategies.
Existence of professional staffs in the area of health
financing strategies where upon the team leader should have at least a master’s
degree in public health/ health economics, or other relevant fields. Other team
members should have at least Bachelor’s degrees in health economics or other
relevant fields.
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
Technical understanding in health care financing is strongly
desired.
Experience of working in developing countries (multicultural
environment)
Must have excellent research and analytical skills
Excellent communication, writing and editing skills and
fluent in English language, including ability to present information in
different stakeholders. Ability to communicate well in Swahili will be an added
advantage.
Ability to commence work immediately.
COMPETENCIES REQUIRED
*Producing results;
*Fostering integration and teamwork;
*Communicating in a credible and effective way;
Moving forward in a changing environment
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Other Skills (e.g. IT):
Basic IT skills is a requirement: Good command of MS office
software: Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and use of the Internet. Good
computer skills in Microsoft Office.
Submission of weekly activity plans and end of week update
reports
Report on the rapid infrastructural and operational analysis
of isolation and treatment units of designated facilities. This should include
HCWM infrastructure, supplies needs, capacity/no. of beds, staffing needs for
HCWM, coordination, diversion of non-essential staff, supplies, equipment, etc.
End of contract report documenting all activities including
gaps and recommendations
PLACE OF ASSIGNMENT
Will be working in Tanzania Zanzibar physically and
remotely.
TIMELINE AND REPORTING
Duration The contract will be for two months and half.
Salary
Grade: NOC
Job Posting: May 20, 2022, 2:25:44 PM
Closing Date: Jun 11, 2022, 12:59:00 AM
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