Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) Training Consultancy at Save The Children

Background

• The core intervention of Integrated Management of Childhood illness (IMCI) is the integrated management of the most important causes of mortalities among children- Pneumonia, malaria, diarrhea, measles and malnutrition. In health facilities, IMCI strategy promotes identification of childhood illnesses in the outpatient settings and provision of appropriate treatment and referrals when necessary.
• Health worker training is a key component of integrated management of childhood illnesses (IMCI) strategy. However, the coverage of health workers trained on IMCI still remains low in many countries including Nigeria. The project’s baseline study carried out prior to the commencement of the HCB project shows that amongst 208 health facilities assessed, only health workers in 41% of these facilities have heard of IMCI as an intervention while only half have had the training. For us to achieve an appreciable level of IMCI coverage, more front line health workers have to be reached through IMCI trainings.

The Implementation of IMCI Involves Three Components:

• Improving the skills of health workers
• Improving the health system and
• Improving family and community practices

Among many methods of propagating IMCI trainings is the classroom based IMCI training that would also involve hands on practical activities in clinical settings. Hence, the aim of this is to improve the skills of frontline health workers on case management of specific disease components of IMCI through the IMCI training.

Objectives of the Consultancy:

• To build a critical pool of IMCI trainers in Kaduna state
• To enhance the skills of frontline health workers in tackling common childhood illnesses at the facility level.
• To improve the capacity of health workers to be able to interview caretakers, accurately recognize clinical signs, choose appropriate treatments, and provide counseling and preventive care using the IMCI guidelines.
• To improve the clinical and interpersonal skills of health workers on IMCI
• To support the health workers in the delivery of IMCI in their health facilities

Scope of the Training Consultancy
The training will focus on delivering high quality trainings for health workers based on the National IMCI Manual.
The consultancy will involve the following activities:

• Conduct two batches of provider level training on IMCI case management.
• Each batch of training will be for 25 participants and would span for six days.
• The Consultant who is the lead facilitator/course director will work with five additional resource persons/facilitators including a clinical instructor to facilitate this training.
• Save the Children State MNCH Advisors will also support the team of facilitators in ensuring an effective conduct of the training.
• Conduct post training supportive supervision visits’ within six weeks of training.

Key Responsibilities and Duties of the Consultant

• Develop a training agenda for Facility IMCI training for health workers and conduct a pre-training planning meeting to agree on agenda developed.
• Train health workers using IMCI checklist and training Manuals.
• Prepare training materials and co-facilitate with five (5) other facilitators for six (6) day training on the IMCI training packages. Coordinate the other facilitators’ to ensure roles and responsibilities around the agenda and the facilitation of the training sessions are clear. Where necessary, gather feedback from participants on the training process and contents.
• Conduct pre and post training evaluation of all trainees at the beginning of the training, and the end of training. Compile and share the session/training evaluation and feedback report with the Save the Children team.
• As the lead facilitator, compile a comprehensive training report in collaboration with the other facilitators for each training session and a final consultancy report. Specific emphasis should be on the training content, process, and linkages to capacity building strategies.

Key Responsibilities of the Facilitators

• Participate in the pre-training planning meeting and agree on agenda.
• Facilitate training sessions of health workers staff on necessary skills using IMCI checklist and training manuals.
• Support the Consultant to compile a comprehensive training report. Specific emphasis should be on the training content, process, and linkages to capacity building strategies. A comprehensive training report with pre- and post-evaluation and pictures

The Following Cadres are Targeted for this Training - CHEWs, Nurses, Midwives.
Methodology:

• Training would entail the use of generic WHO IMCI Training Modules (7) in number. It uses adult learning techniques such as role plays, discussions, reading, audio-visuals, and lecture presentations by participants, demonstrations, case study practices and clinical practice in a facility with a high case load of pediatric cases per month.
• Post training supervision visits will involve the use of outpatient skills checklist.

Quality of Training:

• A SC developed training standards checklist would also be administered by the Senior Child Advisor aimed at improving quality of the trainings conducted.

Desired Consultant Should Possess the Following
Education and qualifications of preferred facilitators:

• Post -graduate degree in public health, medicine, health management or Nurse Midwife

Professional Experience:

• At least 5 years’ experience in field work and coordination with international agencies and organisation in the field of child health intervention.
• A Certified IMCI Trainer with past experience in leading IMCI trainings
• Experience in provision of training is compulsory.
• Experience and knowledge in conducting trainings or working in Lagos state is required.
• Evidence of good writing and facilitation skills.

Expected Outputs:

• Support Kaduna state MOH to increase of certified trainers on IMCI
• All trainees have skills in tackling common childhood illnesses at community and facility level
• Increase in the coverage level of health workers trained on IMCI by save the children
• Improved clinical and interpersonal skills of trainees
• Each training report and a comprehensive report and power point presentation of the trainings.

Duration of the Training and Remuneration

• Case management training for frontline health workers (14 days)
• The consultant will be remunerated upon completion of each of the identified segments of the assignment upon submission of satisfactory report. Save the children will be responsible for direct payment of the facilitators who work with the consultant
• Baseline Assessment to gauge the capacity of Health Worker to effectively deliver quality MNCH Services in selected Health facilities in Lagos, Kaduna and Gombe States.

This will Consist of:

• Planning meeting - 1 day
• Case management training - 12 days
• Report writing - 1 day
• Follow up visits (6 days)
• Conduct six weeks post training visits to frontline health workers - 5 days
• Submission of report (final consultancy report) - 1 day
• Total number of consultancy days - 20 days

Deadline
28th February, 2017.