National Consultant to carry out a mini-MBS (Malaria Behavior Survey), targeting specific vulnerable groups in 4 health districts: Mifi, Doumé, Maroua 152 views0 applications

Call for Consultancy

Impact Santé Afrique: Non-Governmental Organization

Title: National Consultant to carry out a mini-MBS (Malaria Behavior Survey), targeting specific vulnerable groups in 4 health districts: Mifi, Doumé, Maroua 3 and Mokolo.

Section: High-impact programs

Location: Cameroon

Ref.: D522/EAP/2023

I. Context

Impact Santé Afrique (ISA) is a Cameroon-based non-governmental organization, whose main objective is to contribute to the improvement of people’s health by implementing transformative and sustainable programs.

ISA is implementing the initiative “Equitable Access in Malaria Fight’, with the support of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working in the fight against malaria. This initiative is being implemented in 4 health districts: Mokolo, Maroua 3, Doumé and Mifi. It aims to increase the involvement of civil society and communities in the implementation of Cameroon’s National Malaria Control Strategic Plan at national and community levels. As part of this initiative, it is planned to carry out a baseline study, including a mini-MBS, in order to gain a better understanding of the behaviors of vulnerable groups in the 4 target districts, within a better understanding of gender-related obstacles faced by populations vulnerable to malaria.

Therefore, ISA is recruiting a National Consultant who will be responsible for conducting a survey of malaria-related behavioral determinants among vulnerable groups in the health districts of Doumé, Mokolo, Maroua 3 and Mifi, which will aim to develop a more detailed understanding of each of these groups in the four target districts, including a better understanding of the gender-related barriers faced by populations in accessing malaria care and services.

II. General Objectif

Produce a clear, up-to-date and usable baseline of malaria-related behaviors, risks and challenges faced by specific vulnerable groups (children under five and their guardians, pregnant women, displaced and mobile populations, indigenous populations, orphans and people with disabilities) in the 4 target health districts.

III. Specific Objectives

Specifically, this involves :

• Establish the socio-demographic and ideational characteristics associated with malaria behavioral outcomes in Cameroon for each target of the initiative ‘Equitable Access in Malaria Fight’, i.e. children under five and their guardians, pregnant women, displaced and mobile populations, indigenous populations, orphans and people with disabilities;
• Establish baseline measures for indicators on net use, IPT (Intermittent Preventive Treatment) uptake, SPC uptake and timely treatment-seeking;
• Identify factors that are related to net use, uptake of IPT, SPC and treatment-seeking within 24 hours.
• Identify gender-related barriers faced by people of different sexes in accessing health services and products
• Determine media habits and communication channels of each target group
• Determine the direction to be given to programmatic social and behavioral change (SBC) and community engagement activities in relation to each malaria control interventions: vector control, use of ITNs (Insecticide-Treated Nets), Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) for pregnant women and infants, Seasonal Preventive Chemotherapy, patient management.

IV. Responsibilities of the National Consultant

The National Consultant will have the following responsibilities:

• Prepare and submit the research protocol for ethical review and approval.
• Develop a tailored methodological approach and identify suitable instruments for an effective conduction of the mini-MBS.
• Pre-test data collection tools;
• Train partner CSOs in the methodological study and data collection.
• Participate in the supervision of data collection in the field;
• Carry out ongoing data quality assurance;
• Analyse data collection ;
• Produce a survey report in accordance with the validated protocol, taking into account the various assessments of ISA and other stakeholders;
• Produce a summary report derived from the validated final survey report.

V. Qualifications of the National Consultant

• At least a Master’s degree in public health, social sciences, statistics, demography or any other equivalent degree;
• At least 5 years’ experience in the field;
• Solid experience in carrying out studies and data collection in the field of health, preferably on malaria;
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and with public institutions;
• Proven skills in the design and development of data collection, analysis and interpretation tools;
• Experience in training and supervising teams in the field;
• Excellent good written and verbal communication skills in French, as well as excellent command of communication and presentation techniques;
• Knowledge of the local context and specific regional features would be an asset.
• In-depth knowledge of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods;
• Proven ability to train and build the capacity of civil society players.

VI. Deliverables

• A study protocol with methodology and data collection tools
• A study reference database
• A validated final report of the survey on the determinants of malaria-related behavior for the targets of the initiative ‘Equitable Access to Malaria Fight’
• A summary of the validated final report

VII. Mission Timeline

The duration of the National Consultant’s assignment will be 30 working days from the date of signature of the contract, covering the period from January 8, to April 29, 2024, according to the timetable.

The consultation period will be in two stages:

• January 2024: 8 working days to prepare the protocol, validate it and then submit it to the ethics committee.
• March-April 2024: 22 working days for the training of data collectors, the data collection, analysis, then the drafting and validation of the final report.