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Qualifications
International Consultant - NCD Coaching and Quality Improvement Specialist
WHO Solomon Islands
Purpose of the consultancy
In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) and the WHO Representative Office, the consultant will support the NCD Team to expand the NCD coaching and quality improvement (QI) model to include hypertension and further scale up diabetes and diabetic foot care (including wound management) across primary care facilities. The role will focus on building the capacity of the MHMS NCD program team toย implement and scale up the NCD coaching and QI package; strengthen data platforms for routine evaluation and for tracking implementation; and support facility and national-level planning. The development, implementation, and evaluation of this model will also provide insights to inform the delivery of NCD care in other contexts.
Background
In the context of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), the WHO Country Office in Solomon Islands supports strategies that strengthen access to services, address health determinants, and ensure the availability of essential medicines and devices for primary health care.
Hypertension affects at least 26% of adults and diabetes 12%, together causing 35% of all deaths and most cases of amputation, blindness, kidney failure, stroke, and heart disease. Strengthening early screening and management could prevent up to 1,171 deaths annually and save an estimated USD 25 million in health and productivity losses.
In 2024โ2025, a diabetes and diabetic foot coaching and quality improvement approach was implemented in Honiara, Guadalcanal, and Malaita, demonstrating significant improvements in health worker performance, detection and diagnosis of cases. This work highlighted the need for national scale-up. Building on this model, further work is required to integrate hypertension screening and management into primary care and expand the NCD coaching and quality improvement package nationwide.
Deliverables
Under the supervision of WHO SLB Technical Officer for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) and in close collaboration with the MHMS NCD Team, the incumbent is expected to perform the following duties:
Output 1: Coaching & Quality Improvement Package Developmentย
Deliverable 1.1: Contribute to development, adaptation and field-testing of hypertension checklists for the NCD coaching package (hypertension, diabetes, diabetic foot, and active foot).ย
Deliverable 1.2: Collaborate to use field experience to inform the final NCD coaching manual (hypertension, diabetes and diabetic foot).ย
Deliverable 1.3:ย Provide guidance on international podiatry standards and enable alignment with national protocols and quality standards tailored to the local context.
Output 2: Scale-up implementation of NCD Coaching (Workforce Skills Development)
Deliverable 2.1:ย Support training and mentoring of national and sub-national facilitators to deliver hypertension coaching.
Deliverable 2.2:ย Develop NCD facilitator teams in all targeted provinces to implement NCD coaching package (hypertension, diabetes and diabetic foot).
Deliverable 2.3:ย Work with MHMS NCD coordinators and provincial facilitator teams to scale-up NCD coaching package to all relevant health workers in all health zones of targeted provinces.
Output 3: Scale-Up NCD Quality Improvement (Facility Service Systems)ย
Deliverable 3.1:ย Work with MHMS NCD Coordinators to train and develop provincial facilitator teams to oversee facility-based quality improvement assessments and action plans at targeted facilities according to national standards.
Deliverable 3.2:ย Facilitate strategic dialogue with key stakeholder to use data for local problem-solving, planning and quality improvement.
Deliverable 3.3:ย Work with MHMS NCD stakeholders to conduct biennial NCD facility practice assessment.
Output 4: Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning and Health Information Systems
Deliverable 4.1:ย Coordinate collection, analysis, and use of programme data to inform planning and QI activities.
Deliverable 4.2:ย Work with MHMS and HIS teams to integrate NCD indicators into DHIS2 dashboards and facility reports.
Deliverable 4.3:ย Strengthen data management systems related to hypertension, diabetes, and diabetic foot care, including the development of a facility-based data system.
Deliverable 4.4:ย Produce progress reports, technical briefs, and lessons-learned summaries for internal and external stakeholders.
Deliverable 4.5:ย Contribute to technical publications and WHO/MHMS reporting.
Output 5: Procurement and resource management
Deliverable 5.1:ย Work with WHO CO to procure and distribute resources that support delivery of hypertension, diabetes, diabetic foot quality NCD care according to national standards.ย
Deliverable 5.2:ย Collaborate with MHMS and partners to strengthen supply chains for essential NCD medicines, equipment and materials within existing systems.
Output 6: Sustainability & Institutionalisation
Deliverable 6.1:ย Support integration of coaching methods into pre-service and in-service NCD skills development.
Deliverable 6.2:ย Work with MHMS to update relevant NCD clinical guidelines and quality standards.
Deliverable 6.3:ย Collaborate with WHO NCD Technical Officer to manage relationships and facilitate high-level strategic dialogue for long term programme sustainability.
Output 7: Prevention and community-based health promotion
Deliverable 7.1:ย Collaborate with MHMS Health Promotion teams and community partners (church, school, and local organizations) to strengthen community-based NCD prevention, awareness, and risk reduction activities linked to facility services.
Output 8: Programme Management and coordination
Deliverable 8.1:ย Work with NCD Technical Officer to support coordination, planning, scheduling, logistics, budgets and resource mobilization for provincial and national NCD (hypertension, diabetes and diabetic foot) coaching and quality improvement activities.
Deliverable 8.2:ย Monitor progress, track milestones, and support integration of activities into Ministry of Health and Medical Services operational structures.
Deliverable 8.3:ย Provide programme management and coordination support to selected programmes when requested by WR.
Specific Requirements
Qualifications required:
Essential
University degree in podiatry, medicine, public health or related health studies.