1. BACKGROUND

Kenya, like many other countries, faces significant challenges related to unsafe abortions, which often result in maternal morbidity and mortality. Abortion in Kenya is legally restricted and permitted only when performed by a trained health professional and when the life or health of the woman is in danger. Despite these legal restrictions, unsafe abortions are still prevalent, particularly among young women and adolescents, contributing to high rates of maternal mortality and morbidity. According to the KHIS, the number of clients seeking PAC services offered in public health facilities has increased over the years. For instance, there were cumulatively 39,420 in 2021, 41,625 in 2022 and 43,910 in 2023 PAC clients respectively. This trend shows that a lot needs to be done to avert mortality/morbidity caused by complication of abortions.

To improve the quality of PAC services, the Ministry of Health (MOH) developed the Post Abortion Care Pocket Guide for Health Care providers in 2019 whose aim was to promote consistency and uniformity in the delivery of post-abortion care services across different healthcare facilities and providers while ensuring the provision of high-quality, evidence-based post-abortion care services that meet the needs of women in Kenya. The pocket guide has been a fundamental resource in guiding PAC services in the country. It is with this background that WHO proposes to engage a consulting obstetrics gynaecologist to provide technical guidance, leadership, and support for the reviews of both the PAC Pocket Guide for HCPs 2019 and the Daily Activity Register (DAR) for PAC by leading stakeholder engagement discussions, conducting key informant interviews and group discussions in consultations and guidance of the RMNCAH TWGs, drafting workshops and consolidating the inputs and feedback from stakeholders into a final draft document for validation.

2. DELIVERABLES

Reporting to the Senior SRHR Advisor, under the overall guidance of the WHO Country Office Representative, and in close collaboration with the UHC/Life-Course Team Lead, the Consultant will be responsible for:
i. Prepare and submit a technical inception report that details out the proposed methodology and implementation approach demonstrating full understanding of the SOW, an information mapping matrix detailing indicative list of primary resources and source materials by objective, stakeholder mapping and consultation plan,
ii. Review and analyze research, key documents, and reports that include best practices, strengths, and weaknesses of the previous pocket guide to generate a summary technical synthesis report (desk-review) on the PAC programming landscape in Kenya that forms part of the technical inception report.
iii. Refine the inception report and align to fit the breadth and depth of the scope of the work (SOW) through a consultative and collaborative process with guidance of the MOH/DRMNH and key stakeholders for consensus building.
iv. Design and facilitate stakeholder consultative and writing workshops with the DRMNH team leads.
v. Write workshop reports and share with the MOH and WHO technical team.
vi. Document, synthesize and consolidate stakeholder feedback and inputs during the writing workshops.
vii. Review the Daily Activity Register for PAC
viii. Present the drafts to DRMNH key stakeholders TWG for validation and approval after necessary revisions.
ix. Plan and facilitate the validation meeting with relevant stakeholders on the draft pocket guide and DAR for PAC.
x. Present finalized draft to MOH in soft copy word, PDF, and slides summary for dissemination

3. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, AND LANGUAGES

EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

Essential:
• Specialized advanced training in Medicine (MBChB, MD, with specialization in Obstetrics and Gynaecology), Reproductive Health Nursing, Clinical Medicine, Population Medicine, Public Health, Global Health, or related postgraduate qualifications

Desirable:
• Ph.D. in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nursing, Clinical Medicine, Population Medicine, Public Health, Global Health would be an asset.

EXPERIENCE

Essential:
⦁ A minimum of 15 years of relevant professional progressive experience, with at least 10 years of proven track record in the development, planning, management, and implementation of Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (SRMNCAH) in the Context of Primary Health Care
⦁ Good understanding of the Kenyan Decentralized Health Systems Strengthening context; with experience working in reproductive health programming with MOH at the National or County level, is a MUST including demonstrated practical experience in the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation strategies, methodologies, and tools.

Desirable:
⦁ Proven ability to engage, build consensus, communicate effectively, and commit to collaborating effectively with other key partners in the SRMNCAH programming landscape.

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE:

⦁ Documented knowledge base and experience working on complex policy and programme issues related to Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (SRMNCAH) in the Context of Primary Health Care.
⦁ Understanding of the dimensions of Kenyan health service quality and familiarity with reviewing and interpreting national service delivery guidelines.

4. TECHNICAL SUPERVISION

⦁ The day-to-day management of this consultancy will be done by DRMNH/MNH Program Manager, in close consultation with WHO Technical Advisor.
⦁ The consultant will lead the exercise and will be responsible for ensuring the integrity of the documents produced by close collaboration with the DRMNCAH MNH Program, partners, and stakeholders during the review process of the PAC Pocket guide and the DAR for PAC

5. LOCATION

MOH/DRMNH officers located at the Kenyatta National Hospital Grounds, AND planned meetings at WHO Kenya Country Office

6. TRAVEL

MOH /DRMNH Program will undertake logistic planning for meetings, engage with the consultant during the entire process, identifying stakeholders and linking them to the consultant, within the agreed timeframe.

7. REMUNERATION AND BUDGET (TRAVEL COSTS EXCLUDED)

This consultancy is for 30 contracted days at Grade NOD spread over a 3-months period from the date of signing the contract.

Additional Information
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