Consultancy Services for the Provision of Technical Assistance on External Quality Assurance (EQA) for Malaria Diagnosis in Bauchi State. at Palladium Group

Palladium invites applications from suitably qualified individual consultant (one laboratory technical consultant) to provide technical support to Bauchi State Ministry of Health (SMOH) and Agencies on strengthening external quality assurance (EQA) for malaria microscopy and malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDT)to the States.

Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are the basis management of malaria and for reducing malaria mortality and morbidity.  The national guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of malaria recommends that all persons suspected to have malaria be tested before treatment. The parasitogical diagnosis should be accompanied by quality assurance (FMOH 2015). It is very important to confirm the presence of malaria parasite, as clinical diagnosis is poor and leads to wastage of antimalarial and could contribute to drug resistance. This recommendation has led to enhancement of malaria diagnostic capacity of most public health facilities in Nigeria in the form of personnel development and provision of malaria diagnosis commodities.

The expected outcome of a malaria diagnosis quality assurance (QA) program is accurate and reliable results generated from malaria parasite diagnosis. To achieve the above, programs should ensure that malaria diagnostic services are conducted by competent and motivated staff, supported by effective in-service training and supervision that maintains high level of staff competency and performance.  It involves monitoring of all processes that lead to provision of timely, reliable and accurate malaria diagnosis. This will strengthen quality malaria diagnostic services which plays a critical role in minimizing misdiagnosis, over-diagnosis, inadequate and inappropriate treatment and drug resistance, thus improving the overall effectiveness of malaria prevention and control efforts in Nigeria.

In view of the foregoing, and in alliance with the national guideline for diagnosis and treatment of malaria, IHP is soliciting the services of one (1) experienced Consultant who will provide residential technical support to the state malaria programs in Bauchi to plan, implement and monitor malaria external quality assurance (EQA) in Bauchi state. Provide support to the Malaria Program in the SMOH to plan, set-up, monitor and implement quality assurance for malaria diagnosis in the state for secondary/tertiary hospitals and PHC facilities. S/he will also support other malaria case management activities implemented by IHP in the state at the health facilities

This is a firm fixed price deliverable-based contract. The consultant is expected to satisfactorily accomplish the deliverables before he/she gets paid for that deliverable. The IHP Chief of Party reserves the right to confirm if a deliverable is delivered adequately or otherwise. No price change is expected after contract is signed. IHP will not pay for cost of any deliverable that is not complete, of quality or on time.

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