National Consultant to Support the MOH of Viet Nam to Improve Quality and Expand the Programme of Management of Non-communicable Diseases focusing on Hypertension

Call for Expressions of Interest and Proposal

#036 – Job Title: The National Consultant to support the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Viet Nam to improve quality and expand the programme of management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) focusing on hypertension.

1. Background

According to WHO estimates, the deaths caused by cardio-vascular diseases (CVDs), mainly strokes and heart attacks, account for 31% of total deaths in Viet Nam. Hypertension is a very important cause of CVDs. According to non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors survey (STEPS) in 2015, the prevalence of hypertension in adult from 18- 69 years old was 18.9%. But up to 57% of hypertension was not diagnosed by a health professional before. Only about a quarter of people with hypertension were currently taking medicine. Those who are managed, only about 40% have blood pressure controlled. Management of other NCDs such as diabetes, asthma and COPD are almost similar to that of hypertension.

Viet Nam has been receiving support from Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) for the implementation of a hypertension control initiative, which is aligned with the WHO PEN and HEARTS technical packages. It is being implemented in 52/63 provinces and plans for further scale up are being developed.

To help the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Viet Nam improve quality and expand the programme of management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) following related WPRO frameworks such as Primary Health Care, NCD, Mental Health and Aging ones and firstly focusing on hypertension, it’s critical to recruit a consultant to support WHO technical officers with this task.

2. Planned timelines

Start date: 1 Dec 2022
End date: 30 Oct 2023

3. Work to be performed

The Consultant will support MOH for the implementation of the NCD management programme including the hypertension control initiative supported by Resolve to Save Lives. This will include supporting quality improvement initiatives and capacity building activities that have been mutually agreed upon by the Ministry of Health and WHO Viet Nam country office. The consultant will ensure that these activities maintain the standards of quality as defined by the MOH and WHO. Furthermore, the consultant under supervision and guidance of WHO will help create and implement a model of integrated care including people with hypertension. This model is followed related WPRO frameworks such as Primary Health Care, NCD, Mental Health and Aging ones. It helps develop tools, guidelines and generate evidence for policies in NCD management.

Specific deliverables:

Deliverable 1: Submission a set of documents for implementing hypertension control programme focusing on scaling up and quality improvement:

• Detailed activity plans and tools for implementing a NCD control program quality assessment and quality improvement (QI) activities with focusing on hypertension.
• Quality management structures including cultivate teams of clinicians and health officials organized around continuous QI in the focus area, establish QI committee(s) with regular review meetings.
• Documentation of ideas of potential collaborators about improving on critical hypertension program outcomes like adequate drug stock, retention in care, and controlled blood pressure.
• Report of QI trainings and coach facilities to set priorities and develop QI work plans, use quarterly QI cycles to design and test QI interventions, track progress and document impact of QI activities on program outcomes, and support spread of successful QI interventions across the program
• Technical resources for use in hypertension control programming (e.g. training materials) by creating and adapting from other relevant sources.
• Reports of results of project site visits and meetings with relevant stakeholders in the focus.

Deliverable 2: Submission a set of documents for strengthening Health Information system on NCD including the electronic NCD reporting system:

• Documents/reports indicated working as liaison for the Resolve to Save Lives Tech Team and local health information system experts, and facilitating the design and implementation of a health information system for monitoring the NCD management program
• Linkage among the electronic NCD reporting system and software for social health insurance reimbursement.
• Plan to develop and drafts of Circular about reporting on NCD management.

Deliverable 3: Submission a set of documents for designing and implementing a model of integrated care including people with hypertension following WHO recommendation.

• National master plan on NCD management including hypertension control for the period 2022-25 and model of integrated care included.
• Design of a model of integrated chronic care (including hypertension) following related WPRO frameworks such as Primary Health Care, NCD, Mental Health and Aging ones to demonstrate tools including QI before scaling up and generate evidence for advocacy including financial mechanism.
• Training packages and tools for implementing the model.
• Quarterly progress reports of implementation of the model of integrated chronic care in a province.

4. Specific requirements

a. Education

• Medical education background and master’s degree or higher in public health.

b. Experience:

• At least 10 years of relevant experience working in public health program implementation with minimum 5 years of clinical experience in general medicine or cardiovascular diseases or hypertension (required).
• Previous experience working on non-communicable diseases
• Knowledge of quality improvement methodologies and previous experience executing and/or leading quality improvement programs
• Experience with health information system implementation
• Experience in working with MOH is preferable.

c. Skills

• Ability to communicate technical knowledge and expertise in both policy and operational environments
• Time-management skills with the ability to work in a deadline-oriented environment, including ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks independently
• Familiar with health data interpretation, data analysis, and monitoring program performance indicators
• Excellent partner and project management skills
• Strong mentorship, coaching, and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to work across sectoral boundaries and in diverse, multicultural settings

d. Language

• Excellent spoken and written Vietnamese and English.

5. Place of assignment:

• WHO office in Viet Nam

6. Medical clearance

• The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

7. Travel

• The Consultant will be required to travel to the implementation sites during the period of assignment.

Those who are interested can submit your most updated CV and application letter indicating post title and vacancy notice number by 23 September 2022 and should be addressed to:

Administrative Officer
World Health Organization
UN Building, 304 Kim Ma Street,
Hanoi, Viet Nam

OR

[email protected]

For further information on this TOR, please contact:
[email protected]