1. Background and Justification

The 2019/2020 regional emergency preparedness and response plan (EPRP) revealed that conflict induced displacement, disease outbreaks like malaria, measles, scabies, rabies, malnutrition, and drought were the major risks identified in Amhara region.

Amhara region has been the most stable region with no significant displacement and refuges in the history of the country. However, since November 2018 the region has been suffering from the existenceicts induced internally displaced people within and across the region. According to DRMC, before the restart of the currently ongoing conflict/war between TPLF and EDF, the region has been hosting about 1.2 million internally displaced people (IDPs) who are distributed throughout the region, i.e., to all zones and are in need of assistance. However, after the restart of the currently ongoing conflict/ war between TPLF and EDF about 674,492 people are newly displaced (see table below) and as the war is ongoing more people are expected to be internally displaced from the conflict affected part of the region to other places.

Following, this conflict the humanitarian situation across the region continues to deteriorate, and there is high demand of humanitarian response across the region to reach the needs of displaced and vulnerable persons. Access to essential health service in conflict affected areas is seriously affected/compromised. Significant number of health facilities are damaged and looted in Waghimra zone, North Gondar, Central Gondar zone, North Wollo and North Shewa zones of the region.

As the scale of the conflict and the subsequent internal displacement is increasing in the region, human resource is highly demanded in the area of health emergency preparedness and response to ensure the continuity of the provision of quality primary health care services to the IDPs and host communities based on the response plan .

UNICEF has been supporting the region emergency preparedness and response technically (assessment, planning, coordination, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) and capacity building), financially and availing and ensuring good supply and logistics management for timely Emergency response.  Given the large geographic coverage and population (about 22 million) and rapidly increasing number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in the region; scaling up of IDPs response activities is challenging and demanding.  Besides, the  increasing demand and need for dedicated health emergencies technical support, UNICEF Amhara Field Office has been trying its best to provide the required supports to strengthen coordination platforms, to ensure availability of essential supplies and to ensure continuity of the provision of essential health services to the IDPs and host communities. However, due to the large geographic size of the region, and travel restrictions in conflict affected areas, the human resource available at regional level have not been enough to reach out the most venerable women and children and provide the required continuous technical support at field level. The extent of the emergency situation and its impact on essential health services has doubled the burden and widened the existing capacity gaps especially at zone and woreda level for the increased supply and logistics management, monitoring, technical support and guidance in responding to the emergency situation timey and appropriately. 

In addition, to strengthen essential health service access and coordination platforms at zonal and woreda level, ensure continuous monitoring of the situation and on-going response, emergency supplies end user monitoring, a dedicated health emergency consultant is highly required to provide the required field level support. Thus, the consultant will help to provide technical support to the implementation of quality high impact and cost-effective UNICEF planned emergency interventions, monitoring and reporting of UNICEF’s health emergency response with sustained and system thinking approach linking to ongoing development programs. 

1. Purpose

To provide technical support to the Amhara Regional Health Bureau and Amhara Region Public Health Institute on health emergencies preparedness and response in general and IDPs response specifically and ensuring continuity of essential health services to IDPs and host communities including Supply and logistics management focusing on zones highly impacted by the conflict.

1. Specific Tasks

Under the overall guidance of the health specialist of the field office, the incumbent will report directly to the director of the Regional Health Bureau and Amhara Region Public Health Institute (APHI). He/she will work closely in collaboration with relevant technical officers in the field office, the Regional Health Bureau and Amhara Region Public Health Institute (APHI) Directorate. He/she has first line responsibility for promoting and implementing effective emergency preparedness and response strategies with focus on UNICEF supported thematic areas of IDPs response, supply and logistics and essential health service. He/she will base on zones hugely impacted by the current conflict to support the government in provision of essential health service for women and children.

The main duties and responsibilities are here under: 

• Provide support for strengthening essential health service access, supply and logistics for IDPs response and other health related emergencies intervention at zone, woreda and site level in accordance with national and regional guidance.

• Provide technical support to conflict affected zones, woredas and health facilities on the adaptation of national health emergency strategies, standards, protocols, guidelines, training manuals and materials for health-related emergencies with specific focus on IDPs response.
• Provide technical support for the implementation, monitoring and reporting on UNICEF health emergency response plan and ensuring that UNICEF 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.
• Identify formal and informal sources of information and coordinate with WHO to collect, interpret and analyse available data on the evolving emergency and its implications to the emergency operation in UNICEF 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 health in emergency operational response plan, with other relevant sectors and among UNICEF nutrition and WASH section.
• Compile accurate and timely emergency 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 UNICEF Field Office and Ethiopia Country Office

• Collects and analyses lessons learnt from UNICEF's emergency operations experience and contributes towards adoption of the best practices and standards for longer-term emergency interventions. 

• Collaborate with WHO 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 UNICEF Health program and FO

1. Expected Deliverables and Time frame
   •  delivery of essential health service based on context.

1. Monitoring strategy

• The Amhara field office will ensure monthly travel plan of the onsultants reflect the priority   in the specific ZHDs and woredas 
• Members from concerned department of RHB 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.

1. Reporting

• Monthly written report on the IDPs response and other emergency response activity implementation progress to UNICEF FO Health Specialist/ Officer and RHB APHI director.

1. Payment Modality and Schedule

• The fees for this contract shall be paid on monthly basis based on the submission of monthly reports against the deliverables indicated above.