National Consultancy: National Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) guideline adaptation (Open to Malawian Nationals Only)

The Ministry of Health developed the first edition of Malawi Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) Guidelines in 2012 after the Community Therapeutic Care (CTC) Interim Guidelines of 2006. The Second Edition of CMAM Guidelines were developed in 2016. These guidelines were developed to integrate the 2013 World Health Organization (WHO) updates on the management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in infants and children. During the period the guidelines have been operational there have been global and local issues as regards to management of acute malnutrition in children. Covid 19 and cholera pandemics brought challenges in managing the children with acute malnutrition in the context of these pandemics. Malawi also experienced different form of disasters including devastating Tropical Cyclone Freddy.
To ensure that management of acute malnutrition is cost-effective, the Ministry of Health (MoH) is testing some of the elements of these simplified approaches especially Family MUAC Intervention and reduced dose in the Village clinic.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, a Future… 

Malawi is a high-risk country for climate shocks such as extreme flooding, exacerbated by diseases outbreak such as Cholera, severe food insecurity, and increased poverty due to economic shocks. In March 2023, the country was hit by the cyclone Freddy which affected at least 2.5 million people; 659,278 were displaced, 2,186 were injured, and 679 were killed. The cholera epidemic in Malawi between 2022 and 2023 resulted in over 58,000 confirmed cases, with over 1,700 deaths over an 18-month period. This   represents a 3 per cent fatality rate, which is very high. About 4.4 million people, representing 22 percent of the Malawi population, are facing food insecurity and require food assistance between October 2023 to March 2024, according to the Malawi Integrated Food Security Phase classification (IPC). With weather forecasts from international and national agencies anticipating El Niño conditions which are linked with delayed onset of rains, below-normal precipitation, and dry spells in southern Malawi, the food situation is likely to worsen. Undernutrition such as wasting remains public health issue with >150,000 children under five still at high risk of acute malnutrition (source: acute malnutrition burden estimate based on SMART survey 2020).

The nutrition situation in Malawi is characterized by high levels of undernutrition of the under-5 children. In 2019/2020, stunting (height for age) was at 35.5 per cent, wasting (weight for height) at 2.6 per cent, underweight (weight for age) at 12 per cent, overweight at 4 per cent and 12.8 per cent children were born at a low birth weight (less than 2500g). Undernutrition is exacerbated by poor feeding and caring practices as demonstrated by minimal increase in proportion of infants (0-6 months old) exclusively breastfed to 64 percent in 2020 from 61 percent in 2016. In addition, only 9 percent of children aged 6 to 23 months meet the minimum acceptable diet (MAD). Similarly, the proportion of women meeting minimum dietary diversity (MDDW) is equally low (25 percent). The combination of poor access to nutritious diets and frequent illness (such as acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and malaria) coupled with poor access to health services, exacerbate the risk of undernutrition. The underlying causes of undernutrition include poor hygiene practices; lack of safe water and proper sanitation; food insecurity; gender inequality; and poverty.

How can you make a difference? 

• The consultant will review relevant documents which will include the Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Policy and Strategy, Health Sector Strategic Plan III, 2016 Malawi CMAM Guidelines, 2023 WHO Guidelines for Management of Wasting and Oedema, Nutrition Care Support and Treatment for Adults and Adolescents, Integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) protocol, the National Child Health Strategic Plan 2021-2026 and any other scientific reports as guided by the CMAM Review Taskforce.
• The consultant will draft an inception report and present to the CMAM Guidelines Review Taskforce.
• Facilitate a workshop, document meeting proceedings, review and draft national CMAM guidelines in line with the WHO Recommendations.
• Present the draft CMAM Guidelines to the Targeted Nutrition Programme (TNP) Technical Working Group (TWG) and other relevant nutrition forums as advised by the Depart of Nutrition Services.
• In collaboration with the Guidelines Review Taskforce, revise the guidelines based on TNP TWG comments.
• Present the draft Guidelines to Multi-Sectoral National Nutrition Committee and Health Service Delivery (HSD) TWG.
• Revise the guidelines considering the comments from HSD TWG and National Nutrition Committee.
• Present the final draft of the Guidelines to the MoH Senior Management.
• Produce final guidelines.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Master’s degree in medicine, Nursing, Nutrition and/or Public Health.

Work experience:

• Minimum 10 years of postgraduate professional experience in nutrition.
• Experience in developing national CMAM nutrition guidelines
• Experience in working in or with government structures, especially the MoH departments.
• Experience and knowledge of Malawi’s health and nutrition sectors will be an added advantage.

Technical skills, knowledge and strength areas:

• Familiarity with Malawi national CMAM protocols, WHO 2023 recommendations, regional and national nutrition landscape. Knowledge of Malawi country context and nutrition landscape will be an added advantage.
• Strong knowledge in integrated management of child wasting and nutrition oedema using the CMAM or Integrated Management of Acute malnutrition (IMAM) approach
• General knowledge of United Nations system policies, rules, regulations, and procedures governing administration.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to multi-task, and work well independently under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Demonstration of proactiveness with a commitment to quality and accuracy with close attention.
• Computer skills, including word processing, spreadsheet and other standard software packages and systems.

Languages:  

• Excellent written and verbal skills in English.

Please refer to the attached full Terms of Reference  Terms of Reference_CMAM Guidelines.pdf for more details on the consultancy and requirements.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).   

To view our competency framework, please visit  here.   

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

HOW TO APPLY…

Interested Individual Consultant should provide the following:

1. Curriculum Vitae
2. Academic certificates
3. Brief technical proposal (no longer than five pages) demonstrating the Individual Consultant’s understanding of the assignment and approach/methodology to the assignment
4. Financial proposal including a breakdown of their all-inclusive fees (including professional fees, stationery, communication, and other miscellaneous costs). Financial Proposal for Consultancy.xlsx Complete the attached form.
5. References details from three most recent supervisors.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.