Consultant-Nutrition Coverage Survey 12-346

Job Location:

Job Description:

International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs.

Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, International Medical Corps is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through
health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in underserved communities worldwide. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at highest risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, International Medical Corps rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND
International Medical Corps established projects in South Sudan in 1994. The Republic of South Sudan (ROSS) is the newest nation in Africa that gained independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011 after decades of civil war between the northern and southern Sudan. ROSS is a geographically vast country with a diverse population of approximately 8,260,490 million people and is divided into ten states of which Jonglei State is the largest. Jonglei State hosts Akobo County that has a population of 136,210, with an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) population of 26,543 as a result of internal ethnic conflict. The inhabitants of Akobo County are primarily agro-pastoralists who practice simple subsistence farming. Akobo residents are reported to be food insecure and 73% of residents depend on food aid as their primary source of food . The reduced access to and availability of food, including other aggravating factors like incidence of diseases contribute to high malnutrition rates above the emergency threshold.

In an effort to mitigate the impact of acute malnutrition, International Medical Corps implements emergency Nutrition program with funding support from OFDA and CHF targeting 94,692 individuals especially children under five years, pregnant and lactating women in Akobo County. International Medical Corps operates SC, OTP and SFP to treat acute malnutrition using Community based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) strategy. The preventative approach includes a Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) component with focus on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF). In addition, International Medical Corps manages twelve Primary Health Care facilities including one county hospital in Akobo County.

JOB SUMMARY
To evaluate access and coverage of feeding programs (SC, OTP & SFP) using SQUEAC methodology in Akobo County, Jonglei State.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1.Map out both period and point coverage in all the targeted areas using SQUEAC/CSAS methodology;

2.Identify factors affecting access to the OTP/SC and SFP services in all the targeted areas;

3.Develop specific recommendations based on survey outcomes to improve acceptance and coverage of the nutrition programme;

4.Enhance capacities of key IMC technical staff in Akobo County to undertake coverage survey using SQUEAC/CSAS methodology.

REQUIRED INPUT
The Consultant is required to:

1.Design the coverage survey:
•Develop comprehensive tools for data collection
•Design the survey methodology
•Collect and collate reference materials

2.Train data collectors for the survey:
•Transfer skills in undertaking a SQUEAC assessment to IMC staff, to capacitate them in carrying out similar coverage assessments independently

3.Organize actual survey:
•Ensure accurate data collection at field level
•Ensure adequate supervision and coordination of the survey teams in the field
•collect relevant reference materials for report writing

4.Data processing and Management:
•Ensure accurate date entry
•Analyze data and compile a comprehensive coverage survey report.

5.Reporting:
•The consultant will present preliminary findings of the survey to the key stakeholders for validation purpose
•Produce draft and final report with action oriented recommendations.

REQUIRED DELIVERABLES

These are the expected deliverables from the Consultant:
1.Final survey methodology
2.Coverage survey work plan and budget
3.Finalized data collection tools
4.Power point presentation of preliminary survey findings
5.Draft coverage survey report
6.Final coverage survey report (hard copy and soft copy