BACKGROUND

The UNFPA Supply program supports the bi-annual survey on availability and stock out of contraceptives and maternal health medicines in 46 program implementing countries. Lesotho being one of the 46 UNFPA Supplies partnership focused countries has been conducting SDP survey since 2014. The last SDP was in 2021.

  Some of the common reason of this high levels of stock out include;

• Delay of warehouse to resupply in case of male condoms (100%)
• Delay by SDPs in making the request for re-supply
• No or low client demand 
• No trained staff especially in IUDs
• No equipment in case of IUDs

 The survey is designed to provide an overall picture of the availability and level of RHC Commodities stock- status, assess relevant aspects of health facility resources, clients’ perception about the quality of FP services and their appraisal of costs incurred to access the services. Specifically, the 2023 survey focused on generating the following key indicators:

• Percentage of primary Service Delivery Points (SDPs) with at least three (3) modern contraceptive methods;

 • Percentage of secondary and tertiary SDPs with at least five (5) modern contraceptive methods;

• Percentage of SDPs providing delivery services where at least seven (7) life-saving maternal/RH medicines (including two mandatory medicines) from the World Health Organization (WHO) list are available; and

• Percentage of SDPs with ‘no stock-out’ of contraceptives within the last three months before the survey.

In addition, the survey is designed to assess the supply chain (including cold chain); determine the level of staff training and supervision; assess the availability of guidelines and protocols, and of Information and Communication Technology, methods of waste disposal; determine incidence of user fees (if any) paid by clients to access reproductive health services and obtain views of clients about reproductive health services provided.

The information gathered is intended to help country-level RH commodity security planning and decision making on administrative and policy issues, to improve RH as well as to implement and coordinate the FP programme. The survey report provides the basis for MOH accountability on UNFPA support through the UNFPA Supplies programme. The survey covers public, private, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and faith-based health facilities that provide modern contraceptive methods and/or maternal/RH services

The efficiency of reproductive health commodity security programme is assessed through indicators outlined in the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework of UNFPA Supplies Program.

The Service Delivery Point Survey has the following objectives:

• Examine the modern contraceptives offered by the health facilities
• Establish the reasons why health facilities experience stock out of modern of contraceptives.
• Establish the availability of seven lifesaving medicines) in the various types/categories of SDPs in the country
• Establish strategies to be implemented to minimize stocks of family planning commodities.

Scope of Work

Based on the approved expression of interest / protocol a consultant will develop and present to the RHCS TWG, an inception report showing how the consultant intends to undertake this exercise. The report should also have a Gantt chart of milestones and data analysis plan.

• Engaged with UNFPA team and the MOH team on sampling technique, data collection tools and data analysis method.
• Engage with data expert and M & E officers from department of planning and statistic in the ministry of health to agree on data collection mechanism and analysis methodology.
• Work with the MOH planning department and IT department to analyse collected data.
• Updated data collection tools together with the assessment methodology
• Train data collectors and supervise data collection on the tools
• Supervise data collection  
• Analyse data and draft a data analysis report using the standard reporting template from UNFPA and share with RHCS TWG for inputs 
• The consultant will then draft the SDP report with comments from RHCS TWG .
• Facilitate the stakeholder forum on the draft report and update accordingly
• The consultant will make presentation of the key findings to the MOH and UNFPA management and incorporates comments
• Submit electronic data files
• Submit the SDP Report and the presentation to MOH and UNFPA

Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.)

The SDP Report  and annexes  should be submitted electronically to the MOH and UNFPA

Supervisory Arrangements

The consultant will be supervised and monitored by Ministry of health Family Health Division and UNFPA M & E Officer with the SRHR coordinator accountable and under overall responsibility and guidance of UNFPA Representative

Duration and working schedule:

The consultancy will be required from September 1^st  to 30^th October 2023 and the assignment  is to be carried out  in Maseru Lesotho

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

There will be frequent scheduled debrief meetings with Ministry of Health department of planning and statistic, Family Planning Programme Manager   and UNFPA.

Progress will be monitored based on performance on deliverables as mentioned above.

Expected travel:

Travel to the districts during data supervision collection

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

• Master degree in relevant discipline including public health, social science, health sciences
• Experience with previous SDPs survey supervision and report writing is an asset   
• Relevant experience in data analysis and report writing
• Good writing skills
• Experience working with the UN will be an added advantage
• Editing and formatting skills are highly required

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g. support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

UNFPA will provide relevant support and guidance to ensure the successful undertaking of this consultancy, including administrative and financial support. 

Payment

Consultancy is for 40 working days at the rate of $200 per day

The consultancy fee will be paid as per deliverables as above       

Other relevant information or special conditions

The application should include the following:

1. A cover letter
2. A detailed CV indicating qualifications competencies and relevant experience
3. Sample on works with reference