The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nation’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations. UNDP is a lead agency in UNAIDS for addressing the dimensions of HIV and AIDS relating to human rights, gender and sexual diversity. In addition, UNDP contributes to public health and development partnerships through collaborations with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the ‘Global Fund’), Roll Back Malaria, Stop TB Partnerships, and special programmes on human reproduction and infectious diseases that disproportionately affect poor populations. As part of its wider engagement with the United Nations, the Global Fund has partnered with UNDP since 2003 to ensure that grants are implemented, and services are delivered in countries facing complex challenges. The partnership focuses on three closely linked areas of work: implementation support, capacity development, and policy engagement. For implementation support UNDP serves as an interim Principal Recipient (PR) (currently in 25 countries) in a variety of settings including countries that face capacity constraints, complex emergencies, poor governance environments, political upheaval, or donor sanctions. It does so upon request by the Global Fund and/or the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) and when no national entity is able to assume the role at the time. UNDP’s role as PR is an interim arrangement until national entities can assume full responsibility for implementation and the capacity of national partners (Government and CSOs) is also strengthened to ensure long-term sustainability of health outcomes. In December 2020, UNDP was once again nominated by the PIRMCCM for the role of PR for two grants in the Western Pacific region: 1) Malaria, covering Vanuatu only; and 2) Multi-Country TB/HIV Programme covering 11 Pacific Island Countries (PICS) namely Republic of Marshall Islands, Federal States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, and Palau. The current funding cycle is for 1 January 2021 – 31 December 2023. Under the overall supervision of the Programme Manager, the Consultant will develop the HIV/STI 2022-2027 NSP with costed business plan and monitoring and evaluation result framework for four countries (Nauru, Palau, Samoa and Vanuatu). The consultant will also review and update the Key Populations Definitions and Service Delivery Package which was developed in partnership with WHO in 2018. The Project Goals are: - To halt the spread of HIV among the population of the Western Pacific and maintain HIV incidence rates below 0.1 percent annually;
- To reduce AIDS-related mortality by strengthening HIV case finding and case management;
- To reduce the prevalence, incidence and mortality from all forms of TB in the 11 Pacific Island Countries, thereby contributing to the post-2015 global TB strategy; and
- To promote universal and equitable access to quality diagnosis and appropriate treatment of TB, MDR-TB, TB/DM and TB/HIV patients across 11 Pacific Island Countries.
Project Description and Consultancy Rationale HIV prevalence in the 11 Pacific Island Countries (Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Marshall Islands, Palau, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu) continues to be low with prevalence in the Western Pacific estimated at 0.1%. The cumulative number of persons ever diagnosed, with HIV up until December 2019 in the 11 supported countries is 251. Despite the low rates and numbers, HIV vulnerability is still high due to factors such as widespread migration and mobility, dense sexual networks, a large caseload of untreated STIs, low knowledge about HIV and STIs, high levels of transactional sex and significant levels of intimate partner violence. In addition, PICs are also geared towards supporting people living with HIV and ensuring that they have access to proper treatment, care and support services to live longer and healthier lives. All program efforts and interventions are targeted towards the regional and country achievement of the global UNAIDS Fast Track 90-90-90 targets which is to ensure that: - 90% of all people living with HIV know their status
- 90% of PLHIV who know their status are put on treatment and
- 90% of those PLHIV who are on treatment have viral suppression
The assignment contains two components: Component 1: Review and Develop updated HIV/STIs National Strategic Plans for Nauru, Palau, Samoa and Vanuatu -: In 2019, UNDP reviewed and updated HIV/STI National Strategic Plans for 7 program countries namely Cook Islands, Federated State of Micronesia, Kiribati, Niue, Republic of Marshall Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu, under a similar consultancy assignment. The NSPs for Nauru, Palau, Samoa and Vanuatu were still valid then, but now have expired and requires updating to cover the period 2022 – 2027. The Ministries of Health in these four countries have requested technical assistance from UNDP in updating their HIV/STI National Strategic Plans to accelerate progress towards ensuring adequate protection, care and support to vulnerable groups, to reflect the strategic direction affirmed in the 2016 UN Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The NSP will include costed business plan and a monitoring and evaluation results framework. The documents will provide HIV/STI strategic direction and guidance for the national response, way forward on coordinating activities, mobilizing resources, and sustaining positive impacts in the long term. The consultant is required to complete developing the four NSPs within 60 working days. Component 2: Review and Update Key Populations Definitions and Service Delivery Package -: To improve access to HIV/STI services by Key Population (KP), community-based interventions are essential. Though higher HIV/ STI vulnerability relative to the general population, KP have limited access to preventative and diagnostic services due to stigma, discrimination and other social issues barriers.[1] PICs are committed in improving Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) Services for key populations by increasing access to SRH/HIV/STI prevention, diagnosis and treatment services. In 2018, UNDP with support from WHO developed the key populations definitions and recommended service delivery packages within the Multi-Country Western Pacific Integrated HIV/TB Programme (2018 - 2020).[2] This document covered three key population (Men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM), Transgender Women (TG) and Female Sex Workers (FSW)) and two vulnerable population (Seafarers and prisoners). Since this document expired in 2020, the consultant is required to review and update the Key Populations Definitions and Service Delivery Package and make appropriate changes within 7 working days. Key Stakeholders/Partners: The HIV/STI National Strategic Plan Development and Key Populations Definitions and Service Delivery Package Update Consultant will work closely with the national counterparts such as Ministries of Health and relevant national communicable diseases units and clinicians, UNAIDS, WHO, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), community groups of people living with HIV and the UNDP Programme Management Team based in Suva, Vanuatu and Samoa. |