UN Children’s Fund ,Consultancy to conduct a feasibility and acceptability study on early infant medical male circumcision in Malawi

Closing date: 07 Jul 2015


1.BACKGROUND

With an adult HIV
prevalence of 10.6%, Malawi registers approximately 35,000 new infections each
year. Although HIV prevalence has declined over the past decade, additional
strategies to prevent HIV acquisition are needed.

In 2005 and 2006,
randomised clinical trials in three African countries ; Kenya, Uganda and South
Africa, demonstrated that medical ma

le circumcision reduces the risk of female-to-male
sexual transmission of HIV by roughly 60 percent . More recently, population
based data from ongoing research in Orange Farm, South Africa, have shown a
reduction in HIV prevalence of 55% and a 76% reduction in HIV incidence among
circumcised men. Thus, Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) is an
exceptional HIV prevention method, in that it offers substantial partial
protection against female-to-male sexual transmission of HIV.

In 2007, WHO issued
recommendations to implement VMMC in settings with high HIV prevalence and low
prevalence of male circumcision. WHO further recommended Early Infant Male
Circumcision (EIMC) as it contributes to a more sustainable approach to
increasing male circumcision in the country and thereby reducing new HIV
infection. In 2007, Malawi conducted a Situation Analysis of Male Circumcision
showing that religion and culture are the key determinants for uptake of male
circumcision. Malawi has a low prevalence of MC with a national circumcision
rate (any circumcision including for purposes of initiation rite) between 20.7%
and 26.7% of men. Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision rates are even lower at
11 percent among Malawian men. Thereafter, Malawi included VMMC in the HIV
Prevention Strategy and developed a National Policy on VMMC and VMMC
Communication Strategy.

At present, VMMC is
being offered in nine districts, supported by PEPFAR, with roll out to the
remaining districts expected in 2015-2016, supported by the World Bank. The
target age group is 10 to 34 years. The World Bank funding includes support to
introducing EIMC in the public sector.

The establishment of
an EIMC programme in Malawi follows the action plan that member countries of
the East and Southern African Region agreed to during the March 2014 EIMC meeting
in Johannesburg, South Africa after noting that EIMC is a sustainable and an
effective HIV prevention strategy that could reduce the rate of HIV
transmission in the long term.

The Ministry of
Health (MoH) has developed an EIMC Roadmap to oversee implementation of EIMC in
the country. Based on the Roadmap, the MoH, in collaboration with UNICEF and
other partners, seeks a consultant(s) to conduct an acceptability and
feasibility study on EIMC in Malawi.

UNICEF is therefore
inviting qualified individuals to conduct a study to explore the acceptability
and feasibility of providing EIMC in Malawi and to conduct a situation analysis
of EIMC in Malawi.

2.SCOPE OF WORK

  1. Support
    the Government to design and implement a feasibility study to guide the
    implementation of the Reintegration Framework. The study should include a
    hypothesis and should conform to international standards on the definition
    of a Feasibility Study and a Model.
  2. Identify
    institutions and children to be involved in the feasibility study.
  3. Conduct
    regular briefing meetings on the progress of the study with the Ministry
    of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare and the Better Care
    Network.
  4. Conduct
    national level stakeholder briefing meetings on the progress of the
    feasibility study.
  5. Conduct
    a study participatory assessment in November 2016.
  6. Support
    the government to advocate for the enactment of the Adoption Act and the
    processes leading to the ratification of the Inter Country Adoption.

3.METHODOLOGY

This is a
qualitative study that will be conducted in purposively selected districts that
represent differences among Malawians. Methods will include:

• A desk review on
both adult and early infant male circumcision in Malawi

• Focus group
discussions and key informant interviews with pregnant women; new mothers and
fathers, healthcare workers, traditional leaders, men who have undergone VMMC

• Secondary data
analysis of facility-based EIMC, including who is conducting EIMC, pre- and
in-service training, availability of equipment, reported adverse effects

• Review of
pre-service training curriculum on EIMC

4.EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

  1. Master’s
    degree or higher in Health Sciences, Behaviour change, Public Health or
    any health related discipline.
  2. At
    least 5 years’ experience of working in the HIV/AIDS and public health
    sectors
  3. Demonstrated
    experience in designing and conducting qualitative research in public
    health interventions
  4. Knowledge
    of the design of the Malawi health care system
  5. Experience
    working in VMMC is an advantage

10.DURATION

90 days

How to apply:

11.METHOD OF APPLICATION

Qualified candidates
are requested to submit:-

Qualified candidates
(national and or international, but legally residing in Malawi) are requested
to submit a cover letter, performance evaluation report (if applicable), CV and
Personal History Form (P-11 form) to be downloaded from the website http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_53129.html),
a financial proposal (including all eligible fees, transportations and DSA for
desktop research, data collection, and fieldwork, communication, presentation
costs)on or before 7
July 2015
via e-mail address:hrmalawi@unicef.org

NOTE:

· UNICEF is
committed to gender equality in its mandate and its staff. Well qualified
candidates, particularly females are strongly encouraged to apply.

  • Only
    shortlisted applicants will be acknowledged.
  • Applications
    sent through the post office or hand delivered is not accepted.

UNICEF IS A
SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENT

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