FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF SOMALIA

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES (DAMAL CAAFIMAAD) PROJECT

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (REOI)

Individual Selection of Consultant 

Country: Federal Government of Somalia

Name of the Project: Improvement of Health Services (Damal Caafimaad) Project

Consulting Service: HMIS Specialist (MOH-Puntland)

Individual/Firm: Individual

Duty Station: Puntland Ministry of Health. 

Deadline: 25th January 2022

Ref No.  SO-MOH-FGS-023-CS-INDV

1.        BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

The Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia, through the Federal Ministry of Health, is implementing the Improving Healthcare Services in Somalia under the “Damal Caafimaad” Project, with financing from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group. The four-year project will contribute to Essential Package of Health Services (EPHS 2020) implementation aimed at improving the coverage of essential health and nutrition services in project areas and strengthen the stewardship of the Ministries of Health in Somalia. The Damal Caafimaad Project, funded by the World Bank, has three key components: (i) Expanding the coverage of a prioritized EPHS in selected geographic areas; (ii) Strengthening Government’s stewardship to enhance service delivery; and (iii) Project Management, M&E, Knowledge Management, and Learning. The Project will focus on expanding an essential package of high-impact health and nutrition services across the population in project target regions within available resources and service delivery capacity, and also aims to develop the Federal and State Ministries’ of Health capacity to act as stewards of the health sector. 

The HMIS Specialist position will be a full-time contracted staff position, to provide support to the FMS Ministry of Health – Health Management Information Systems Unit in strengthening Health Management Information Systems and the District Health Management Information Systems (DHIS2) as part of the HMIS strengthening as part of Government Stewardship Development through the Damal Caafimaad project to Health Information Management System Unit of the Ministry of Health Puntland State of Somalia, and actively coordinates with the Project Coordination and Implementation Unit (PCIU) of the Federal Ministry of Health of Somalia.  The HMIS Specialist will serve as an integral part of the HMIS unit in Puntland State of Somalia, with responsibilities for supporting implementation of the HMIS, with a focus on ensuring data quality improvement and use activities are in place.

The Ministry of Health and Human Services is seeking to use a portion of the Damal Caafimaad Project to finance the recruitment of a HMIS Specialist (MOH-Puntland). 

2. SCOPE OF WORK AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting to Puntland State HMIS Manager and/or Director of Policy and Planning and closely working with the PMT Project Manager of the Ministry of Health – Puntland State of Somalia. The HMIS Specialist will also collaborate with the head of HIS, Research and Statistics and the PCIU HMIS Specialist MOH-FGS.

Specific responsibility and tasks of the HMIS Specialist are as follows:

• HMIS Governance:
  1. Support the coordination mechanism of Health Information systems at state level linked to the national HIS coordination mechanism,
  2. Ensure meetings are conducted at agreed intervals, stakeholders are notified in advance, data are reviewed in meetings, comprehensive minutes are taken and shared, and action points are followed up in subsequent meetings
• Data Quality Improvement
  1. Develop analytics on key health indicators to monitor performance of health services
  2. Conduct routine data quality assessments and checks of DHIS2 data
  3. Implement data quality assurance systems
  4. Present data in meetings and other forums to increase demand and use of health data and information to address health priorities, gaps, and challenges
  5. Organize and lead data quality improvement activities in the FMS, including visits to regions and facilities
  6. Ensure DHIS2 automatic data quality checks are in place and all data managers / Specialists understand how to use these.
• Data Analyse and use
  1. Conduct monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, and annual data analysis
  2. Present data and support discussions on use of data at coordination and review meetings Engage in the selection, collection, and processing of routine health information
  3. Support the FMS MoH, regional health offices, and facilities in using data for decision making, showing trends, anomalies, and messages in data
  4. Conduct data analysis for the regional and facility level and share data with these levels in a clear manner, assisting with data use for decision making, and ensuring analysed data flows back to the regional and facility levels
  5. Support FMS HMIS Unit on the production of state level DHIS2 dashboard and the production of periodic information bulletins and periodic reports for damal caafimaad and other development projects to measure the progress and performance of the projects.
• Other responsibilities
  1. Safeguard DHIS2 data against unauthorized access, malicious or unintentional loss or corruption while guaranteeing observance to ethical principles governing for any patient level data
  2. Undertake any other duty as assigned by the supervisor
  3. Work with regional HMIS officers to improve data quality
  4. Work with HMIS Specialists and managers in other FMS and at the FGS level to identify systems for improved data quality improvements and use
  5. Support implementation of National HMIS initiatives aimed at improving data quality and reporting timeliness including updates to SOPs and guidelines, digitalization efforts, review of indicators.
  6. Support the FMS HMIS Unit as well as regional, district and health facility data managers on conducting a capacity needs assessment and capacity building initiatives.

S/he will undertake all the other specific tasks detailed in the Terms of Reference (TOR) that can be found at the following https://moh.gov.so/en/or can be provided upon submission of application (in person or by E-mail to the address in paragraph 6.1 below).   

3) SELECTION CRITERIA

The selection shall be based on qualification, experience and skills of the candidate and followed by an interview.

The HMIS Specialist will possess the following qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in public health epidemiology, health information management, health informatics, data analytics and visualization, statistics, mathematics, computer science, or related field is required. Masters degree in the relevant qualification is an added advantage.
• Minimum five (5) years of relevant professional experience in Health data management, data collection, collation, quality improvement, analysis and use of information and experience in working with international partners/NGOs and/or government institutions.
• Demonstrating experience in analysing data and developing data visualizations.
• Experience facilitating performance reviews based on data, data use, and data sharing
• Demonstrated experience leading and conducting data quality improvement activities at the facility and data entry level
• Experience with data quality checks in DHIS2
• Demonstrated experience with all aspect of the data collection, cleaning, entry, review, and use process
• Minimum of two (2) years’ experience working with the DHIS2 system
• Experience developing and using DHIS2 dashboards
• Demonstrated experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods, data analysis, sampling techniques strongly preferred
• Demonstrated strong management, coordination, teamwork and planning skills; Ability to work autonomous with limited direct supervision and take initiative to produce expected results
• Strong technical skills, including ability to process and analyse data using one or more statistical software packages, including at least one of the following: SPSS, Epi-Info, STATA, MS Access are strongly preferred
• Demonstrated ability to generate data visualizations
• Demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking, organizational, team-building, and representational skills
• Ability to engage key stakeholders, manage expectations, as well as plan and coordinate tasks and deliverables; Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships Experience in providing training, coaching, and mentoring with success in enhancing the capacity of government staff;
• Excellent verbal, written interpersonal and presentation skills in Somali; English is strongly preferred
• Knowledge and experience of ICT-based Office applications and tools (word processing, spreadsheets and data processing, PowerPoint) 

3. REPORTING

The HMIS Specialist will report to the State HMIS Manager and/or Director of Policy and Planning and technically collaborating with the PMT Project Manager of the Ministry of Health in Puntland State of Somalia in close collaboration with the PCIU HMIS Specialist and FGS HMIS Team.

4.        DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT:

The HMIS Specialist will be engaged on a full-time basis and is expected to commence the assignment by 1st March 2022 for an initial period of 12 months, with a probation period of 6 months. The contract is renewable annually subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds.

5.        DUTY STATION

The HMIS Specialist will be based within the HMIS Unit of Puntland ministry of health, and closely working with PMT Project Manager, with frequent site visits to health facilities to support project understanding and implementation.

The Ministry of Health and Human Services (FGS) now invites eligible Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above-mentioned services. Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the Services and furnish the Curriculum Vitae (CV). 

6.        SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to section III, para 3.14,3.16 & 3.17 of the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers: Procurement in Investment Projects Financing Goods, Works, Non -Consulting and Consulting Services, July 2016, revised November 2017 August 2018 and November 2020 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest.   

A Consultant will be selected in accordance with the Individual Consultant method set out in the World Bank Procurement Regulations.  

Interested applicants may obtain further information including a detailed Terms of Reference from the Ministry in person or by e-mail to the address given below during office hours from 9.00 a.m.– 4.00 p.m. Saturday to Thursday.

Deadline: Expressions of interest and CV must be delivered to the address below by hand, mail, courier or email on or before 25th January 2022 at 16:00 hours E.A.T.

6.1: Address

The General Director; Ministry of Health and Human Services 

Federal Government of Somalia

Corso Somalia Street, P.O. Box 22, Shangani, Mogadishu, Somalia

Email Address: [email protected]

with copies to: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Submit your application with the following as your subject: HMIS Specialist (MOH-Puntland)- SO-MOH-FGS-023-CS-INDV