Operationalization of Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI), Tarawa, Kiribati/ Health and Nutrition, 4.7 months (office based with trip, ONLY INTERNATIONAL)

Organizational Context

UNICEF operates in over 190 countries, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them reach their full potential. It fosters a passionate culture where promoting every child's rights is a calling, offering diverse opportunities for professional and personal development to staff serving communities worldwide.

Job Purpose

The primary purpose of this consultancy is to provide crucial support to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) in Kiribati, aiming to significantly strengthen and institutionalize the Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) throughout the nation. A key focus will be on establishing sustainable practices, ensuring high-quality care delivery, and enhancing the health system's responsiveness to evolving child health risks, including those related to climate change and disease outbreaks. This initiative is designed to achieve improved neonatal and child health outcomes across Kiribati. This will be accomplished through several strategic interventions: updating existing national guidance documents, developing and implementing a robust and sustainable training and mentoring system for healthcare professionals, effectively integrating IMNCI principles into pre-service education curricula, and facilitating the initial operationalization of IMNCI services within selected health facilities. The ultimate goal is to embed IMNCI as a core component of child healthcare, ensuring long-term benefits for children in Kiribati.

Responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for a comprehensive scope of work, commencing with an essential inception phase. This initial stage involves conducting a rapid, thorough assessment to evaluate the current status of Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) implementation across Kiribati. This assessment will critically examine existing training capacities for healthcare providers and analyze current service delivery practices. A key objective of this phase is to pinpoint priority gaps in the system, identify any bottlenecks hindering effective implementation, and uncover opportunities for the deeper institutionalization of IMNCI. The insights gained from this rapid assessment will be instrumental in finalizing detailed workplans and strategically selecting pilot health facilities, specifically in South Tarawa and an additional three to four outer islands, for initial IMNCI operationalization. The findings will serve as a foundational guide for designing all subsequent project activities, ensuring they are precisely aligned with Kiribati's national health priorities and responsive to local realities. Furthermore, responsibilities will extend to updating national guidance documents related to IMNCI, developing and implementing a sustainable training and mentoring system for health workers, facilitating the integration of IMNCI into pre-service education programs, and actively supporting the initial operationalization of IMNCI services in the chosen pilot facilities to improve neonatal and child health outcomes.

Work Experience

A minimum of 8 years of professional experience is required in Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) or broader child health programmes.

Skills

MNCH/Child Health Programme Management, IMNCI Implementation, Health System Strengthening, Training and Mentoring System Development, Curriculum Integration (Pre-service education), Rapid Assessment and Gap Analysis, Workplan Finalization, Guidance Document Updating, Operationalization Support, Climate and Outbreak Related Health Risk Management, Quality of Care Assurance, Sustainability Planning

Explore related opportunities