REOI & TOR – PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT INDIVIDUAL INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANT TO CONDUCT A REVIEW ON “HEALTH GOVERNANCE AND COVID-19 RESPONSE IN THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE”

A key feature of the APRM is that it is home grown. This, as well as its voluntary nature, are important in buttressing and consolidating Africa’s ownership of its development agenda. As an assessment and monitoring tool, the APRM can also help to track progress towards meeting regional and international development aspirations and commitments including AU’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The African Union and the Heads of State and Government are cognizant of this and in January 2017 expanded the mandate of the Mechanism from the core reviews to a monitoring and evaluation role of the African Union Agenda 2063 and the SDGs. This is a reflection of the confidence reposed in the Mechanism and will contribute to the universalization of the APRM where all AU member-states will become members of the APRM.

2) DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

In December,2019, the Swedish International Development Agency approved the APRM-SIDA Project. The Project will help strengthen the APRM and contribute to the delivery of its mandate. It will support the implementation of the 2020-2023 Strategic Plan and reposition APRM as an instrument for monitoring AU Agenda 2063 and SDGs. Apart from addressing the immediate challenges faced by the Mechanism, the grant will help in the review and refinement of the APRM tools and processes, to ensure that the Mechanism remains relevant in a rapidly changing world and is also to take on board the expanded mandate and expectations of the member countries. In this regard, the project is expected to support the following key areas of the APRM (1)Deepening the APRM Review, (2)Strengthening Civil Society Participation (3)Strengthening Gender Participation (4)National Governance Reporting  (6)Development of the Au Guidance Notes for  State Owned Enterprise (SOEs) . These programmes are designed to shape the work of the Mechanism.

In the context of the implementation of the APRM-SIDA Project, the APRM intends to recruit one (1) experienced Public Health Management Individual International Consultant to undertake the assessment of Targeted Review on the theme: “Health Governance and Covid-19 Response in the Republic of Sierra Leone” for the Mechanism, for which these terms of Reference (TORs) are prepared.

The Consultant shall follow and be guided by the objectives contained within each thematic area: Socioeconomic Development (SED) Economic Governance and Management (EGM), Corporate Governance (CG) and Democracy and Political Governance (DPG).

The specific objectives are as follows:

Socioeconomic Development (SED)

i)      Promote and accelerate broad based sustainable socio-economic development.

ii)    Encourage broad based participation in development.

iii)   Poverty, unemployment and inequality.

iv)   Progress towards gender equality, particularly equal access to education for girls at all levels.

Economic Governance and Management (EGM)

i)    Design and implement economic policies for sustainable development.

ii)  Encourage ownership and participation of key stakeholders in policy formulation and implementation.

iii)Promote sound public finance management.

iv) Fight corruption and money laundering.

v)  Accelerate and deepen regional integration in the monetary, trade and investment domain.

vi) Develop and implement trade and investment policies that promote economic growth.

Corporate Governance (CG)

i)                Promote an enabling environment and effective Regulatory Framework for business organizations and other entities.

ii)              Ensure effective leadership and accountability of organizations.

iii)             Ensure ethical conduct with organizations.

iv)             Ensure that Organizations treat stakeholders fairly and equitably.

v)               Ensure that Organizations act as good corporate citizens.

D     Democracy and Political Governance (DPG)

i)                Constitutional Democracy and the Rule of Law.

ii)              The Separation of Powers.

iii)             Prevention and reduction of intra and inter-state conflicts.

iv)             Ensuring accountable, efficient and effective public service delivery at the national and decentralized levels.

v)               Promotion and protection of the rights of women.

vi)             Promotion and protection of the rights of children and young persons.

vii)           Promotion and protection of the rights of vulnerable groups.

3.1 Familiarize himself/herself with APRM documents and specific information developed for Sierra Leone.

i) The expert is expected to familiarize themselves with the Base Documents of the APRM and the APRM Questionnaire.

ii) The expert will also be provided with the existing documentation on and specific information developed for Sierra Leone.

3.2   Identification of Issues should be informed by the following:

After analyzing all the collected and compiled documents, the identification of the issues should be informed by the following:

i)    Issues related to the Codes, Law, Rules and Regulations on Public Health Management, Disaster Management, Statistical Analysis and the theme “Health Governance and Covid-19 Response in the Republic of Sierra Leone”.

ii)      Issues that have been understated or inadequately addressed.

iii)    Issues that have been identified in the past but continue to have serious implementation problems (this has to be removed as nothing has been done in the past).

iv)     Areas of discrepancy or divergence (from cross-checking with the Background paper).

v)      Ensure that the Targeted Review process takes into consideration the Local Content Policy of Sierra Leone in ensuring that the process is locally led and nationally owned with an effort to move beyond the output level.

3.3  The structure should follow the Objectives under each of the APRM thematic areas as outlined in the APRM Questionnaire. Cross-cutting or issues of an overarching nature have to be separately addressed. 

3.4  The Beneficiaries of the final Report are the following:

i)      The APRM Continental Secretariat.

ii)                  The APRM Panel.

iii)          The Country undergoing the assessment.

3.5  Prioritization of Issues

Some efforts should be made to prioritize the issues.

3.6  Participation and Rapporteur

i)  The consultant will be expected to participate in the Targeted Review visit and capture the unfolding issues of the visit, which will inform the final Targeted Review Report.

ii)  The consultant will be expected to capture and explore the specific issues that have been identified on the theme and to feed these into the final Targeted Review Report.

iii)        The consultant will be expected to participate in breakaway sessions or bilateral meetings focusing on the theme and to keep a record of these sessions. This may include meetings and workshops outside of the capital city.

iv)          The consultant may also be required to investigate further specific issues on the theme either before, during or after the visit.

v)           Further, the consultant is required to participate in every briefing session of the team related to the review. A briefing session will be held at the end of each day during the field review mission.

3.7    Incorporating the Unfolding lessons and Outcome of the Targeted Review Visit into the Report

Following the conclusion of the review visit, the consultant will incorporate the relevant details of the unfolding lessons and outcome of the Targeted Review visit into the report. This section of the report should be circulated to the members of the team for comment, revision and finalization.

3.8         Finalization of the Targeted Review Report

3.8.1       The consultant is then required to finalize the Targeted Review report based on comments or inputs received from the team and the APR Panel. The consultant will ensure that correct feedback is given to team members and will incorporate all team member changes into the draft report.

3.8.2       The report is to be satisfactory and acceptable to the APR Panel.

3.8.3   Compile and collect the information necessary to develop the Targeted Review Report on the proposed theme:

   i) As per research ethics and requirements all the data available and sources used must be specified to allow for an overall perspective and verification of information.

ii) Data must have proper citations on the source of information and must be of quality, up-to-date and relevant to the topic under discussion.

iii)  Questions that arise as a result of the research and require further exploration by members of the review team should be highlighted.

iv) The paper should be analytical rather than descriptive.

v) Tables can be used to highlight areas of good practice and gaps requiring more study by the review mission.

vi) Tables and figures should be subtitled and sequentially numbered.

vii) Use the bottom of each page for citations and other supplementary information (author, title, date, page numbering) that is tangential to the topic under discussion on the main page.

viii) Bibliography – provide a complete listing in the Harvard style.

3.9          Format for drafting the Targeted Review Report

A standard template for all Targeted Review reports is necessary to ensure comparability.

3.10         The content of the Report should be sufficiently comprehensive as the end-users, the Heads of State and Government, would not have to review related documents. In particular the Report should encompass a synthesis of the entire process (i.e. from accession stage to completion), and the substance of the thematic findings (along thematic lines and by objectives and recommendations), flowing along:

i)      Thematic lines covering particularly the assessment and status of public health including the identification of the expected Results and Impacts.

ii)    the objectives of the Public Policy, the Programs and the on-going and Planned Projects).

iii)   the Recommendations in order to avoid or minimize the Risks and to reach the Results and Impacts including a SWOT (Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats) analysis of the on-going and planned projects with regard to all the stakeholders.

3.11         The report shall provide SIERRA LEONE position with regard to the Standards and Codes, as well as the Objectives of the APRM.

3.12 The Targeted Report will follow the Framework enumerated under deliverables.

3.13 Division of Labour

3.13.1 The International Consultant is principally expected to draft the Targeted Review Report, on the theme “Health Governance and Covid-19 Response in the Republic of Sierra Leone”, a PowerPoint Presentation and a Key Highlights Paperand to supervise the work of all review mission participants.

3.13.2    The International Consultant shall be the team leader and is expected to coordinate deliberations, consolidate and collate the overall report.

In this respect, the International Consultant is expected to:

1. take note of the details and observations pertaining to the events and work of the mission made by Sierra Leone stakeholders.
2. to collect all the relevant information from all the relevant stakeholders.

4.0   DELIVERABLES

4.1  Prepare the Structure/Framework of the Report, the PowerPoint Presentation and the Key Highlights Paper on the theme “Health Governance and Covid-19 Response in the Republic of Sierra Leone” and submit them on the 14^th day from the date of contract.

4.2    Prepare and submit a Zero-Draft Report, a PowerPoint Presentation and the Key Highlights Paper on the 28^{th 8} day from the date of contract.

4.3    Prepare and submit the First Draft Report, a PowerPoint Presentation and the Key Highlights Paper on the last day of the field mission.

4.4    Prepare and submit the Second Draft Report, a PowerPoint Presentation and the Key Highlights Paper 14 days from the completion of the field missions.

If it is necessary, revise and edit the report to reflect comments from the APR Panel, Secretariat, and other collaborators.

The report shall include the following:

i)      An Executive Summary of 5 pages with conclusions on the nature of issues discovered and the status of the theme under investigation. The Executive Summary should conclude with a summary of the main strengths and challenges Sierra Leone faces in this area and

ii)    A full disclosure of sources and citations and a full bibliography as mentioned under the scope of work.

4.4 The Reporting Framework shall be as follows:

4.4.1 Executive Summary

A  five pages synthesis of the process and findings of the review, highlighting two or three good practices the country wishes to share; two or three lessons it has learned; two or three challenges on which it wishes to hear about other countries’ good practices; and two or three areas where it would need support in terms of  strategies to tackle public health, achieve health representation.

4.4.2 Introduction

The Context and objectives of the review shall be presented here. The introduction may briefly describe key features of the country context as it pertains to the theme of the Targeted Review, with a discussion of national priorities and targets as well as critical challenges.

4.4.3 Methodology and Process for the Preparation of the Targeted Review

This section may discuss the methodology adopted for the Targeted Review, including its scope, depth and limitations. Information on the process for the preparation of the Targeted Review may be presented, and should include, for example, how different levels and sectors of Government contributed to the review; whether the Parliament was engaged; whether National evaluation/oversight Institutions contributed; how stakeholders from Civil Society, Academia, and the Private/Business sectors were involved; which consultations took place, and possibly whether another member-state or other institutions contributed to the review and so on.

4.4.4 Policy and Enabling Environment

i) Creating ownership at the National level; and

ii) Incorporation into National Frameworks.

4.4.5 Institutional Mechanisms

i) The Review shall provide information on how the country has adapted its institutional framework to the theme of the Targeted Review.

ii) In this regard, the Review shall bring to light how the views of different Ministries, Agencies, levels of Government and Non-Governmental Stakeholders are considered, and give prominence to the Institution in charge of coordination and integration.

iii) The Review shall consider highlighting efforts to mobilize Institutions around the theme of the Targeted Review, improve their functioning, and promote change.

iv) The Review shall also come up with information on how responsibility is allocated among various levels of government (national, regional and local) for coherence. It would be useful to highlight how the country intends to manage the review and monitor the post-review process.

              4.4.6 Data Analysis

The Targeted Review will be conducted within the framework of APRM Research which is defined and stipulated in the APRM research base documents.

              4.4.7 Best Practices

Identify the best practice in terms of method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior to any alternatives because it produces results that are superior to those achieved by other means or because it has become a standard way of doing things, e.g., a standard way of complying with legal or ethical requirements. The best practices should include the following principles but not be limited to:

i)                 Role clarity.

ii)               Preventing undue influence and maintaining trust.

iii)              Decision-making and governing body structure for independent regulators.

iv)              Accountability and transparency.

v)                Engagement.

vi)              Funding.

4.4.8 Recommendations

i)                The recommendations shall be smart, concise, measurable, specific and implementable. They shall be supported with a clear rationale and derived from the findings.

ii)              The recommendation shall also include or present the need for structural transformation of the reviewed sector/topic to tackle developmental challenges in the best interest of the population as a whole.

4.4.9 Conclusion

i)                A summary of the analysis, findings and policy implications shall be presented in this section together with the highlights of discussions on new or emerging issues identified during the review exercise.

ii)              Finally, the reviewed Country shall indicate what lessons it has learned from the review process, what support it would need in the future for preparation of such reviews, and any adjustment it recommends be made to the guidelines to make them more useful.

4.4.10 National Plan of Action

i)                The National Plan of Action (NPoA) shall provide a structure based on Targeted Review objectives and a sequence of actions to achieve the aims and objectives of Targeted Reviews.

ii)              The NPoA shall help implementers set priorities, coordinate actions, simplify decision-making, and track progress.

iii)            The NPoA shall prompt meaningful changes in behaviour, policies and funding.

iv)             The NPoA shall provide civil society a mechanism through which they can hold governments accountable.

v)              Create space for governments, multilateral institutions, and civil society to work together and accomplish more.

vi)             The NPoA shall help the government of the reviewed country to produce progress reports on the implementation of the recommendations at the APR Forum.

vii)           The governance role of the Secretariat will be to monitor the implementation of the Targeted Review recommendations in the NPoA.

5.0  TIME FRAME

The consultancy will be conducted in thirty (30) days, including field mission.

6.1 Education

The Consultant should have one of the following education profiles:

i)                A PhD in Public Health Management, Health Sciences and Public Health Policy or related fields with a minimum of five (5) years’ relevant experience; or

ii)              A Masters’ degree in Public Health Management, Health Sciences and Public Health Policy or related fields with a minimum of seven (7) years’ relevant experience.

      6.2 Experience, Skills and Competencies

i)                Have at least five (5) years with a PhD or seven (7) years’ experience with Master’s in public health experience in developing, implementing and evaluating public health programs or other relevant public health programs that involves coordination with National, Continental and International agencies.

ii)              Have in-depth knowledge of Public Health Management, to be able to assess public health policy’s impact on economic and social development, with particular emphasis on broad based access to quality health care.

iii)             Have broad knowledge of Sierra Leone.

iv)             Have produced research relevant to Public Health and Disaster Management pertinent to Socio-Economic Development (SED), Economic Governance and Management (EGM); and/or Corporate Governance (CG), and/or Democracy and Political Governance (DPG).

v)               Have in-depth knowledge of (a) programs designed to raise health challenges in Africa and (b) plans to manage these challenges in the African continent and Globally.

vi)             Have broad knowledge of International Relations and Development issues in the African continent and globally.

vii)           Have broad knowledge of Disaster Management, Statistics/ Econometrics and its impact on socio-economic development continentally and globally.

viii)         Have knowledge of the African Union and the APRM.

ix)             Demonstrate ability for teamwork, as well as the ability to work independently.

x)               Have project management experience at public policy level and able to respect deadlines.

xi)             Fluency in spoken English and ability to write lucid reports and documents in English is required; knowledge of the other language will be an added advantage.