Consultant to conduct a rapid assessment of climate vulnerability and adaptation for Malawi – Seed Global Health

Job Description

Location: Malawi

Application Deadline: September 16, 2024

Applicants Welcome: Local research institutions and NGOs

Languages Required: English

Duration of Initial Contract: 18 months

Expected Duration of Assignment: September 2024 – March 2026

Background

Seed Global Health (Seed) envisions a world in which every country is strengthened by a robust health workforce that can meet the health needs of its population. We partner to train nurses, midwives, and physicians, building health teams that can provide high-quality care and save lives. We do this by strengthening clinical care delivery, improving health workforce education, and supporting policies that enable health professionals to succeed. Seed is dedicated to creating lasting change in the health systems of our partner countries: Malawi, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia.

Working side-by-side with our partners, we have experienced first-hand how long-term, locally driven investments in the health workforce can and do improve health outcomes in any setting—from urban Zambia to rural Sierra Leone, mid-Ebola outbreak Uganda, and post-cyclone Malawi. The solution is long-term, but the problem is immediate. From the COVID-19 pandemic to the intensifying health effects of climate change, the gap in healthcare standards has been widening in recent years, not narrowing. We must act now to reverse this trend.

Seed Global Health has been operating in Malawi since 2013, collaborating with the Ministry of Health, academic institutions, and regulatory partners to develop sustainable investments in the country’s health system. Seed Malawi’s unique approach focuses on educating and training physicians, nurses, and midwives in both academic and clinical environments for improved healthcare delivery. This approach aims to create a future where Malawi has a robust health workforce that can meet the needs of its population.

Over the past five years (2019-2024), Seed Malawi has been working on three key areas: Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH), Mental Health, and Primary Care (Community Health). For the 2024-2030 strategy, Seed has included climate change and health as a growing area of focus.

Seed is contracting an organization to help conduct a rapid Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment (rVAA) on behalf of the MoH Malawi. Details on the assignment are below.

Objectives

• To conduct a streamlined and rapid adaptation of a Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment r(VAA) (adapted from and aligned with the WHO VAA tool) on behalf of Seed Global Health for the government of Malawi, which will then be used to inform a Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP).
• Assess climate change’s current and projected impacts on public health in selected regions, including direct and indirect health effects.
• Identify vulnerable populations, communities, and regions most at risk of climate-related health impacts.
• Evaluate existing adaptation strategies and measures to reduce climate change’s health impacts.
• Recommend evidence-based adaptation options and strategies to enhance resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change in the health sector.
• To pilot new innovative methodologies to create a streamlined and rapidly deployed toolkit that other countries can use to increase economy, efficiency and effectiveness for conducting an assessment of their vulnerability to climate change, to guide pressing adaptation investments, and which can be rolled into a formal VAA if required.

Scope of Work

The rVAA is expected to provide recommendations for integration into a Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP) for Malawi and to share cost-effective methodologies with stakeholders.

• Review existing literature, reports, and data on climate change and health impacts globally and regionally.
• Identify key climate-sensitive health risks and vulnerabilities, considering geography, demographics, and socio-economic status.
• Conduct stakeholder consultations with national health authorities, relevant government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and community representatives to gather insights on climate-related health risks and adaptation efforts.
• Assess the effectiveness of current health system resilience and adaptation measures in responding to climate change impacts.
• Utilize climate modeling and scenario analysis to project future climate-related health risks.
• Develop a set of recommended adaptation options and strategies tailored to enhance the resilience of health systems and protect vulnerable populations.
• Provide guidance on the integration of climate change adaptation into national health policies, strategies, and programs.
• Ensure there is ethical clearance to allow stakeholders to publish papers and articles based on the research findings from the rVAA.

Key Activities/Deliverables

1. Inception report

The initial inception report should provide the following information:

• A comprehensive description of the understanding of the ToR and indicating any inconsistency or deficiency in the ToR and proposed amendments.
• Details on the determined frame and scope of assessment in consultation with the Ministry of Health and Seed Global Health
• A detailed description of the instrument, vulnerability, and adaptation assessment methodology shows VfM and innovation
• Draft outline of the rVAA
• A complete work plan for the rVAA

2. Develop a rVAA toolkit

Collaborate with the MoH and stakeholders to develop the rVAA toolkit based on WHO guidance and documents. Adapt climate-ready workforce assessment toolkit for rVAA

3. Draft rVAA

Draft a rVAA report, according to WHO guidelines, summarising findings and providing recommendations that can be integrated into the HNAP.

4. Final rVAA report submission and dissemination workshop

The final rVAA report submission will include HNAP recommendations and a dissemination workshop for stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

The relevant expertise required for this consultancy is as follows:

• Locally registered and recognized NGO, CSO, academic institution or consortium.
• Possess a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral team of experts with relevant experience in similar assignments.
• Demonstrate strong experience in conducting vulnerability assessments or similar assignments.
• The team will need to be comprised of key experts with the following minimum qualifications:
• A minimum of master’s degrees in fields relevant to the assignment, such as climate change, public health, environmental health, or one health, is required.
• Experience in analyzing the impact of climate change on health, vulnerability, nutrition and adaptation.
• Knowledge of regional and national climate and health-related policies.

Management Arrangements

The local entity will work closely with Seed Global Health Malawi, the Ministry of Health and other relevant ministries. The consultancy firm is expected to report to Seed Global Health Country Director, Malawi weekly.

Submitting a Proposal

Seed Global Health invites proposals from local research institutions, NGOs, and consultant teams and firms, with the experience and skills described above.

Interested consultants are invited to submit a 5-7-page proposal by September 16, 2024. The proposal should include the following:

· A cover letter introducing the consultant/firm and services

· 1-page CV with skills overview & experience (for each team member, if applicable)

· Initial timeline and project methodologies (i.e. details of the process, deliverables and approach)

· At least two client references and contact information

· Detailed financial proposal

Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Seed is an equal opportunity employer that prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type, including without limitation on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristics protected by federal, state, and local law.