Consultant For Positioning Future Humanitarian Programme, Work and Scope Through Review, Field Work and Analysis

About humedica

Humedica is an international non-governmental organization based in Kaufbeuren, Germany. Since 1979 humedica has been active in the field of humanitarian work with a focus on medical aid, operating projects in 90 countries around the world. Thanks to a voluntary team of highly qualified physicians, we are able to dispatch our teams on very short notice for highly efficient emergency and disaster relief operations. This commitment is complemented by medium- to long-term relief projects in the sector of development cooperation. The objective of our international activities is to render aid to people in need by implementing purposeful relief measures and by utilizing primarily local resources, ultimately aimed at sustainably strengthening local health structures.

 

Since 2012, humedica is active in Lebanon to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable populations, including Syrian refugees. To this end, humedica is supporting Primary Health Care Centers (PHCs) under the administration of Ministry of Public Health for both Lebanese and Syrian patients. In addition, humedica runs one Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) to respond to outbreaks in informal tented settlements (ITS) in the Bekaa valley and reduce the severity of such outbreaks by providing primary health care and medication for vulnerable groups. Furthermore, an outreach and awareness programme on common health issues as well as support of mental health services are aimed at strengthening the sanitary and mental resilience of the most vulnerable in the Bekaa Valley. Through those activities, humedica is aiming to bolster the health system to cope with the high demand and to building institutional capacity in Lebanon for sustainable improvement of health care, while at the same time strengthening resilience within the communities.

Background

Since 2011, the percentage of population below the poverty line has risen by nearly two-thirds, and unemployment has doubled. The economic crisis, compounded with the COVID-19 pandemic left vulnerable Lebanese and refugees alike struggling to meet their basic needs.  The health sector, which is already at its limits to accommodate the needs of one million Syrian refugees, is under particular duress. As such, adequate, affordable and sufficient access to health services for the latter group as well as a rising number of Lebanese nationals is increasingly restricted.

Building on its experience in supporting primary health care in the Bekaa as well as other relief activities around Beirut, humedica is planning to expand its projects in Lebanon to respond to the growing health needs of the population. In order to tailor suitable programmes, an in-depth assessment of the health situation of the most vulnerable groups in Lebanon, both national citizens and migrants, should be conducted to identify the most pressing needs in this sector. In addition, the assessment shall provide findings and recommendations that can be used as inputs for the preparation of a results-based country strategic programme for humedica.

Thus, humedica is looking for a qualified consultant to conduct such an assessment.

Objective of the assessment

The purpose of the planned assessment is to lay the basis for developing humedica’s long-term strategy in Lebanon as a whole. To this end, the assessment should identify feasible areas where humedica can effectively and sustainably use its capacities to increase health resilience of vulnerable groups in Lebanon. This should be achieved by gaining an overview of the most urgent humanitarian needs in the Lebanese health sector on the basis of available reports as well as first-hand accounts of vulnerable groups, civil society and other stakeholders.

Scope of Assignment

The assessment (desk review, data collection, analysis and report writing) will be conducted over 18 days preferably between May through Mid-August 2021. The sites of the field research will be identified during the desk review and in accordance with humedica’s field office. In general, all of Lebanon falls under this scope.

Target Audience

The assessment report will inform the internal development of humedica’s country strategy in Lebanon. It may further be cited in donor applications.

Research Methodology

The consultant will work in close coordination with the Country Director for Lebanon and will be responsible for the following specific tasks:

• Prepare an inception report and develop an adequate methodology for the assessment in close coordination with humedica’s Country Director and Desk Officer at the HQ.
• Workshops:
  • One workshop ahead of field research with humedica staff to accommodate queries and discuss objectives, methodology, process and timelines
  • One workshop after the first draft of the report to present findings and discuss ways forward for the finalization of the report.
• Desk review:
  • Identify vulnerable population groups prone to health risks and establish causal relationships explaining their vulnerability
  • Sector-specific analysis on shortcomings in the provision of essential health services
  • Review of documents and guidelines related to Lebanese health infrastructure with the goal to map out existing structures and identify shortcomings of the health care system. 
• Field research:
  • Conduct Focus Group Discussions with potential beneficiaries to ensure a need-based approach.
  • Travel to different regions of the country to undertake and facilitate consultations with stakeholders (health care providers, governmental/administrative institutions, other organizations active in identified areas) on health interventions, niches and proposed priorities in line with national health programmes of health organisations, current and potential future donors, as well as government partners.

Output

• Development of a report of at least 15 pages of main text. It should cover at least the following criteria:
  • Identify vulnerable groups and barriers to access health care services.
  • Identify potential community-based programmes to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable groups
  • Pinpoint priorities in the existing health system of Lebanon to grant equal and adequate access to basic health services and provides suggestions of potential projects to fill those gaps
  • Discuss feasible interventions in the light of humedica’s capacities as a whole and its prior activities in Lebanon.
  • Identify specific locations/areas and partners feasible for interventions
  • Map existing health programmes (availability, readiness, quality and effectiveness) in areas deemed vulnerable and relates suggested interventions to those in order to achieve coherence
  • Discuss potential synergies with other humanitarian/developmental clusters (livelihood, nutrition, WASH, protection) to ensure an efficient coordination among all related stakeholders.
  • Assess and determine possibilities for small-scale peace-building efforts (e.g. in cooperation with further stakeholders), keeping in view the humanitarian imperative of neutrality
  • Suggest an indicative step-by-step framework on how humedica can systematically start to pursue areas identified through this assessment, in light of where humedica is presently placed in Lebanon
  • Address the potential, wide-ranging set of risks which may impede the implementation of suggested projects, as well as potential unintended negative outcomes contradicting the do-no-harm principle (e.g. sparking social tensions)

Qualifications

• Education – Master’s degree or equivalent in public health, public policy, social sciences, or a related field.
• Experience:
  • Minimum of 6 years of proven experience of relevant professional experience at an international level in designing and facilitating strategic planning processes and drafting strategic/business plans for development and human rights institutions
  • At least 2 years of professional experience in public health
• Demonstrated experience in facilitating similar kinds of strategic planning exercises with proven experience in providing technical support
• Knowledge of results-based management;
• Experience in humanitarian and development programming/planning.
• Language: Fluency in English and Arabic (both written and oral) is mandatory

Project Details

 

• Commitment – 1 month with an immediate start date preferred
• Location – Lebanon
• Remuneration – USD in three instalments, daily fee will be assessed in accordance to the experience and expertise of the consultant