Background
The Ministry of Health and Wellness has received a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank to support the Health Systems Strengthening for the Prevention & Care Management of Non- Communicable Diseases (NCD) Programme (HSSP).
The programme objective is to improve the health of Jamaica’s population by strengthening comprehensive policies for the prevention of Non-Communicable (Chronic) Diseases (NCDs) risk factors and improved access to an upgraded and integrated primary and secondary health network in prioritized areas with an emphasis on chronic disease management, that provide more efficient and higher quality care.
The Programme has two broad components as follows:
- Policy – Based Component – will look at policies that will consolidate regulatory measures to address the preventable causes of NCDs and to reorient health systems to address prevention and control through a people-centred primary health chronic care model
- Investment Component – in turn, will finance activities to consolidate integrated health networks and improve the management, quality and efficiency of health services. The Policy Based Component will benefit the Jamaican population at-large, while the Investment Component will have approximately 800,000 potential direct beneficiaries who reside in the catchment areas of the health services networks that will receive investments.
The Investment Programme has two (2) components and an allocation to support programme administration and evaluation:
- Component 1 – Organization and consolidation of integrated health services networks
- Component 2 – Improvement of Management, Quality and Efficiency of Health Services
Component 2 will support a number of initiatives including the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey IV.
Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey
The Ministry of Health and Wellness is working in collaboration with the Caribbean Institute of Health Research (CAIHR) of the University of the West Indies to conduct the fourth Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey (JHLS IV). This is a cross-sectional, interviewer-administered survey that provides national estimates on factors associated with healthy lifestyles in the Jamaican population in support of the development of programs to encourage persons to engage in healthy lifestyles. The scope of the JHLS IV is to estimate the impact of health policies instituted in recent years in response to the Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (CNCD) epidemic, and the project will provide the data necessary to effect a monitoring and surveillance system in line with the national strategic plan and Vision 2030 goals. The proposed study will extend beyond previous ones by (i) including an over 75-year-old age group, a growing population with the highest burden of chronic disease and which has not been sampled in the previous rounds. (ii) the collection of blood from participants for evaluation of additional biomarkers (iii) use of geographic information systems (GIS) to complement the assessment of the role of the built environment on risk factor and disease burden (iv) the use of electronic data collection systems which allow for more efficient data management (v) special emphasis on men’s health issues.
Execution of the survey will take place in three phases ((i) preparation (ii) implementation and (iii) report writing over an eighteen-month period. The preparation phase includes obtaining ethical approval, reviewing draft questionnaires and procuring equipment and field supplies. During the implementation phase four thousand eight hundred (4800) individuals’ ages 15 years and over will be recruited in their homes over a four-month period. The Report Writing phase will see the completion of an interim and final report as well as the dissemination of report findings. Technical guidance for each phase of the survey will be provided by the Principal Investigator, while day to day management of survey activities will be led by the National Coordinator. The Ministry now seeks to recruit suitable qualified individuals who will be able to execute the various phases of the research and who have the proven capacity to carry out the tasks associated with the survey.
- Aim of Consultancy
The aim of the Consultancy is to, under the guidance of the Principal Investigator, coordinate and assist in procurement of field and other equipment, recruit and train field staff, guide and coordinate field activities and to participate in the preparation of an interim and final report for the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey IV.
- Survey Objectives
Survey objectives are to:
- Estimate the prevalence of NCDs, risk factors for HIV/AIDS and other sexually related conditions, seroprevalence of COVID-19 and prevalence and intentional and unintentional injuries, in the Jamaican population
- Evaluate secular trends in NCDs, risk factors for HIV/AIDS and other sexually related conditions by comparing current prevalence estimates with estimates from previous lifestyle surveys.
- Estimate current prevalence, awareness, treatment and control levels for the NCDs and select complications, including chronic kidney disease, amputations and disability
- Investigate the effect of social and environmental factors and national policies on NCDs, STIs, injures and COVID-19 and the impact that these factors may have on any health disparities
- Scope of Work
To coordinate the activities associated with the implementation of the fourth national Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey. The National Coordinator will oversee the day to day activities of study, and is responsible for the reporting on field activities. The National Coordinator will be the liaison between the activities conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Principal Investigators.
Specifically, the consultant will:
- Assist with the procurement of goods and equipment needed to conduct the survey.
- Coordination of workshops for training of field staff and study personnel.
- Identify trainers for the training workshop for field staff and study personnel.
- Recruit and train survey field staff on project protocols needed to implement the survey.
- Recruit and train data-management staff on project protocols.
- In conjunction with the project investigators assist in the preparation of the survey instruments.
- Manage all field and project staff employed for the duration of the study.
- Perform routine audits of data collected in the field
- Provide updates on field activities at the following time-points:
- Completion of staff training
- Completion of data collection
- End of project
- In conjunction with the Principal Investigator, ensure the submission of the following documents:
- Interim analyses of survey data analysis
- Final technical report on project
- Assist with the dissemination of project findings.
- Responsibilities of the Ministry of Health and Wellness
The Ministry of Health and Wellness will furnish the Contractor with the relevant information and materials in order to facilitate completion of assigned tasks.
- Accountability and Reporting Systems
Services will be contracted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness. The Contractor will report to the Principal Investigator, with sign-off and approval of activities provided by the Principal Medical Officer, National Epidemiologist.
- Deliverables / Milestone Activities
The deliverables to be met throughout the Consultancy are outlined in Table 1, below:
Table 1: Deliverables and Milestone
| No. | Deliverables / Milestone Activities | Frequency | Timeline |
| 1 | Work plan | Once | 14 days after signing contract |
| 2 | Detailed implementation plan to include man-power and material / equipment | Once | 4 weeks after signing contact |
| 3 | First Draft of Budget | Once | 4 weeks after signing contract |
| 4 | Research Proposal including the survey instrument | Four months after signing contract | |
| 5 | Field Staff Recruited | TBD | |
| 6 | Field Staff Trained | Four weeks after completion of field training | |
| 7 | Field Activities executed | Ongoing | Four months after completion of staff training |
| 8 | Monthly Report on Field Activities , data collection and data quality | Monthly | Monthly – Commencing 4 weeks after signing agreement. |
| 9 | Check and Approve the quality of Preliminary Data available for analysis | Ongoing | Periodically during Field Work |
| 10 | Interim Field Work Report (Including Results of Data Audit and Quality Checks) | Once | Two month after commencement of Field Work |
| 11 | Check and Approve the quality of interim Data available for analysis | Periodically during Data Analysis | |
| 12 | Report on Completion of Field Work (Including Results of Data Audit and Quality Checks) | Once | One month after completion of field work |
| 13 | Check and Approve the quality of Final Data available for analysis | Periodically during Data Analysis | |
| 14 | Interim Project Completion Report | Once | Four months after completion of Field Work |
| 15 | Final Project Completion Report | Once | One month after completion of implementation |
| 16 | Dissemination Session | Once | One month after approval of final report |
Deliverables should be signed off by the Principal Investigator, and should be submitted to the Principal Medical Officer/National Epidemiologist for final approval.
- Qualification Requirements
The preferred candidate must meet the following minimum criteria;
- Education:
- Advanced university degree in Epidemiology, Public Health, the Social Sciences or other relevant field
- Experience:
- Ten (10) years’ experience in carrying out clinical, health and social research
- Previously managed or held a lead role in projects of similar size and scope.
- Language:
- Advanced writing, communication and presentation skills in English;
- Demonstrates technical report-writing skills and public presentations.
- Funding
Funding for the contracted service will be supported through the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Health and Wellness. The Consultant will be paid on a deliverable basis
- Duration
The duration of the Consultancy will be 24 months
- Eligibility
The consultant must be national or bona fide permanent resident of a Bank member country.