Project Title Business Unusual Fund - UN Joint Plan on AIDS Project Description The HIV situation in the Philippines can be described as hidden and growing. Based on the HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP) published by the Epidemiology Bureau of the Department of Health (DOH-EB) in March 20211, the number of HIV-positive reported cases in the country has reached a total of 85, 651 since January 1984. Additionally, for the month of March 2021, 1,041 newly diagnosed cases were recorded. The country is also far from reaching the 95-95-95 targets of UNAIDS2. Among the estimated 115,100 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the Philippines, only around 68% are diagnosed. Among those diagnosed, only around 61% are enrolled to treatment. Viral load suppression remains, reaching only 17%, compared to the 95% target. It is also significant to note that adolescents are catching the impact of the disease. It is reported that the proportion of HIV-positive cases in the 15-24 year age group increased in the past ten years from 22% (2001 to 2010) to 29% (2011 to 2020). HIV-related stigma and discrimination (S&D) are recognized as major barriers to the delivery of quality services3 to PLHIV. HIV S&D cause PLHIV to avoid or delay medical consultation and in effect, their condition worsens and even affect their sexual partners. HIV S&D occur in different settings such as health-care settings, education settings, workplace settings and even in household settings – communities and families. There is a need to strengthen the country’s age-appropriate, gender-responsive and high-quality intervention and ensure that our young people can access health care services without the fear of S&D. The government provides health services in the Adolescent Friendly Health Facilities (AFHF) responsive to the needs of the adolescents. These are facilities in the Local Government Unit (LGU) that provide equitable, accessible, acceptable, appropriate, effective and quality comprehensive health care and services in an adolescent-friendly environment4, and since they are situated in the LGUs, the services they provide are crucial for PLHIV especially the affected young people. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is working with partners to reduce inequalities and social exclusion that drive HIV and poor heath and promoting effective and inclusive governance for health. UNDP is founding co-sponsor of UNAIDS and a cosponsor of several other international health partnerships. With this, UNDP, UNAIDS and other UN agencies involved in HIV response initiate the acceleration of achievement of the 2020 Fast-Track target through Business Unusual Fund. UNDP Philippines requires the services of an Individual Consultant who will (1) develop standards and tools for Quality Improvement (QI) applicable for the AFHF specifically in the area of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) through participatory approach; (2) conduct a pilot test to five (5) AFHF; and (3) develop guidelines to implementing the QI tool for AFHF. The QI program shall provide data to determine the challenges in providing high quality care for young PLHIV in the primary health care setting (i.e., AFHF) that includes S&D in participatory approach, and with the collated data, policies and guidelines will be developed to improve the overall HIV/AIDS response in the said setting. Institutional Arrangements The IC shall work in collaboration with UNDP Institutions and Partnerships Team and UNDP HIV, Health and Development Team, Bangkok Regional Hub, UNAIDS, UN Joint Team on AIDS and Government partners (i.e., DOH and LGU). The consultant will be under the supervision of the HIV Response Officer, UNDP Philippines under the overall guidance of the Programme Analyst and Programme Team Leader of Institutions and Partnerships Programme Team, UNDP Philippines. Duration of Work The expected duration of engagement is 72 working days, spread over from October to December 2021. Duty Station This is STRICTLY a HOME-BASED assignment; NO TRAVEL IS REQUIRED for the Consultant to complete the above-mentioned tasks. Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments The Individual Consultant must send a financial proposal based on an all-inclusive lump-sum amount for the delivery of the outputs below. The total amount quoted shall include all cost components required to deliver the services identified above, including professional daily fees X number of person-days and any other applicable costs (e.g., software and online tool/platform subscriptions) to be incurred by the Individual Consultant in completing the assignment. Medical/health insurance must be purchased by the Individual Consultant at his/her own expense, and upon award of contract, the Individual Consultant must be ready to submit proof of insurance valid during contract duration. Payments will be made upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables by target due dates. Outputs will be certified by the Programme Analyst of Institutions and Partnerships prior to payments. Percentage | Outputs/deliverables | 20% | Upon submission and UNDP’s acceptance of review and assessment of different QI methods and tools especially related to adolescent HIV S&D, Child Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA) and other relevant documents in coordination with other organizations implementing HIV QI programs, and provision of mapping of all AFHF and scoping of all SRH services in AFHF | 30% | Upon submission and UNDP’s acceptance QI Standards and Tools for AFHF through participatory approach with stakeholders (i.e., Government partners such as DOH and LGU, communities and clients); | 30% | Upon submission and UNDP’s acceptance of report presenting the result of the pilot test of QI standards and tools in five (5) AFHF in NCR | 20% | Upon submission and UNDP’s acceptance of the guidelines on implementing QI standards and tools in the AFHF presented to DOH and LGU. |
The Consultant shall consider at least five (5) working days lead time for UNDP to review outputs, give comments and certify approval/acceptance of outputs. |