LonAdd HR Consultancy Plc (www.lonadd.com) is a Recruitment & Outsourcing Company based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with branch offices in Dukem, Hawassa and Bahir Dar. We are looking to recruit a qualified applicant on behalf of our client.

No. required   - One (#1)    

Start Date -   Immediately available.

1. Background 

 Amhara region has been struggling to restore health services in zones impacted by the devastating impact of the North Ethiopia conflict, which affected almost 50 percent of the region, and caused mass displacement, service interruption and destruction of basic health infrastructures and systems. 

This has been compounded by a double burden of the ongoing conflict, many rural areas have become inaccessible and significant number of health facilities facing a critical shortage of essential drugs and medical supplies. According to the DHIS2 report, MNCH including vaccination service interruption is reported and higher service dropout rate for antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, postnatal care and sick child across the region and particularly significant in West Gojjam, East Gojjam, North Gojjam, South Gondar, Debre Markos and north Gondar zones. 

Besides, communicable diseases outbreak such as cholera, malaria, measles, and respiratory tract infections has occurred in the region and spread rapidly especially in settings where access to healthcare and vaccination services is limited. Because of the low latrine utilization, flood risk areas, and low safe water coverage cholera outbreaks has affected the region, and as of Feb 4, 2025, a total of 4,816 cases and 68 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 1.4%, were reported. Currently, Quara, Bahir Dar City, Alefa, Gendawuha town, Gondar city, Bure town, Jawi and Debre Markos town are Active for cholera outbreak, and the cholera outbreak has been controlled in 36 woredas. Malaria outbreak has also continued in the region at outbreak level where According to the recent APHI weekly report of February 10, 2025, there are 31,549 total malaria cases, 31,373 confirmed cases with 30.1% test positivity rate and one facility death. As of Epi week (28 week of 2024 to week 5 of 2025) there were 1,538,097 total malaria cases, 1,514,242 confirmed cases with 41.3% test positivity rate and a total of 84 malaria facility deaths. Among these total malaria cases 176,317 (11.5%) were under five children and 18,321 (1.19%) were pregnant women. Concerning contribution of malaria species Plasmodium Falciparum (52.6%), Plasmodium Vivax (43%), and mixed 4.3%.

Furthermore, the region has been hosting 651,808 internally displaced persons (IDPs), of which 72,563 (11 %) IDPS are living in 37 collective sites with limited partner support and essential health services availability. 

In response to the crisis and ensuring Client support for the needy women and children at local level, deploying Technical Assistance (TAs) has been very timely and critical to strengthen the government capacity through providing technical assistance, follow-up and monitoring of response activities, ensuring distribution of supplies to end user level, participating in multi-Agency assessments, capacity building of gov’t partners in conflict affected Zones/woreda/health facilities and supporting zonal health cluster coordination. Thus, with the rationally to ensure Client response in coordination, restoration of services, monitoring of response activities and capacity building of health workers, it is critically needed to deploy health emergency TAs in most affected zones of East Gojjam and West Gojjam zones.

Justification 

As the scale of the ongoing armed war and the subsequent impact on health services with deterioration of access in the region is alarming, zonal technical assistance is highly demanded for local level health emergency responses and MNCH program implementation and ensure the provision of and continuity of primary health care services to the affected communities and the restoration of essential MNCH services in North Gonder zone. 

Hence, it is realized that there is a critical need for zonal technical assistance to ensure implementation of the humanitarian health response and health service restorations. The TA will be placed in North Gonder zone health department and work with woredas and health facilities. The TA will also provide support to Client Amhara field office in the implementation of the health projects.  

Main duties and responsibilities.

In Coordination with North Gonder zonal health department and Client Amhara field office the post holder will:

• Contribute to the health system strengthening and service restoration in general and the restoration of essential MNCH and immunization services specifically, in North Gondar zone and woredas. 
• Assist the zone in strengthening health emergency coordination platforms, partner mapping, and result monitorings.
• Provide support for strengthening essential MNCH service access, supply, and logistics for health-related emergencies intervention including IDPs response at zone, woreda and site level in accordance with national and regional guidance. 
• Provide technical support to the zone, woredas and health facilities on the adaptation of MNCH and national health emergency strategies, standards, protocols, guidelines, training manuals and materials for health-related emergencies including IDPs response. 
• Provide technical support for the implementation, monitoring and reporting on Client supported MNCH restoration & health emergency response plan and ensuring that Client mandated emergency interventions in health priority focus areas are implemented, monitored, and managed in a timely and effective manner. 
• Provide professional assistance in risk analysis to identify emergency-prone conditions/situations and contribute to timely emergency preparedness. 
• In coordination with WorHO, collect, interpret and analyse available data on the evolving emergency and its implications to the emergency operation in Client thematic support areas. 
• Keeps the effective flow of information and communication crucial for the planning and implementation of emergency measures. 
• Based on needs assessment, support and facilitate capacity building trainings of zonal/woreda and health facility workers and support for the adherence of government and non-government implementing partners to relevant standards and guidelines. 
• Conduct continuous assessment of the occurrence of emergency situations. Collaborate with other partners to make a rapid assessment covering priority areas as defined by the Core Commitment for Children in Humanitarian Action. Establishes contact with community groups, government, UN agencies, media and other partners to keep the field office abreast of emergency situations. 
• Monitor the proper implementation of the regional IDPs response plan activities and ensure the availability of essential health commodities/supplies and end user monitoring and reporting regularly 
• Synergize systematic coordination of appropriate emergency MNCH operational response plan, with other relevant sectors and among Client nutrition and WASH section. 
• Compile accurate and timely emergency including Client 's supported MNCH service restoration projects related reports on progress made, challenges and opportunities and share to the field office on weekly basis for monitoring progress and input on regional Sitrep for Client Field Office.
• Collects and analyses lessons learnt from Client's supported MNCH service restoration projects operations experience and contributes towards adoption of the best practices and standards for longer-term emergency interventions. 
• Collaborate with WorHO to support the regional, zonal and woreda level emergency information management including collecting, analysing, and reporting of health situation and response interventions in RCCE, supplies and logistics. 
• Undertake other relevant tasks as directed by her/ his supervisor and assist with other duties in support of the Client Health program and FO. 

 Expected Deliverables and Time frame 

1. Health emergency and IDPs response, supplies and logistics interventions coordinated
2. Strategic partnerships with key stakeholders for sustained and effective emergency outbreak response put in place
3. Regular visits to emergency affected woredas and IDP sites in the targeted woredas and provide updates to the FO with focus on: 

• Health facility renovation and health service restoration
• Delivery of essential health services including immunization based on context. 
• Prevention and control of disease outbreaks- Cholera, measles, malaria, etc. 
• Support on planning, coordination, and monitoring of health response 

        4. Emergency preparedness and response plan activity reports available, share to FO and disseminated among partners and key stakeholder’s

         5. Emergency situation reports prepared and submitted to field office

         6.  Other tasks related to the dynamic humanitarian situation as requested by the FO/ supervisor

         7.  Document health emergency response best experiences and contribute Human interesting stories for donor report

         8.  Submit written report on progress of implementation, challenges, and opportunities

 Monitoring strategy

• The Amhara field office will ensure monthly travel plan of the consultants reflect the priority in the specific zones and woredas
• Zonal team will be mobilized to join for the field mission to have common view of gaps and solutions,
• Submitted field reports will be reviewed by the supervisor and filed for action, 
• Action points tracker to be developed and tracked before next field mission takes place. 

 Reporting 

• Monthly written report on health emergency coordination, health service restoration, renovation of health facility, IDPs response and other emergency response activity implementation progress to Client FO Health Specialist/ Officer and heads of North Gondar zonal health departments.

General conditions: Procedures and Logistics

• The consultants shall be based in Debark town and work from the North Gondar zonal health office with expected visits to woredas, health facilities and IDP sites (as applicable). 
• The consultants will be managed under the direct formal supervision of heads of North Gondar zonal health department & the Client FO Health Specialist/Officer. 
• The consultant will not be provided lodging and/or meals. DSA will be provided when travelling outside the base through LonAdd Consultancy PLC
• The consultant should use his/her own materials, i.e., computer. 

Expected background and Experience and Competencies 

• Advanced university degree in the field of public health. 
• Minimum of 5 years work experience in emergency response, MNCH program and experiences in concept note development and progress report writing. 
• Fluency in English is required, and knowledge of the national and regional working language is also required. 

How To Apply

Interested applicants with the appropriate qualification and experience should submit their most recent and detailed CV, via email to “ recruitment@lonadd.com ” with the subject “MNCH Technical Assistant” in the subject box.

Application Deadline:  February 26, 2025 

 Only Shortlisted Candidates will be contacted.