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| Reference: | 5069 |
| Country: | Nepal |
| Multiple country event: | No |
| Region: | SEARO |
| City: | Kathmandu |
| Start date: | 23 June 2013 |
| End date: | 1 July 2013 |
| Estimated duration: | |
| Status: | TA Request |
| | (This is a request for technical assistance) |
| TA request for: |
Expert
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| Title: | Programme Review of NTP - Nepal CONSULTANT FOR THE INCREASED CASE DETECTION COMPONENT |
| Type: | Mission |
| Terms of Reference: | Background
The impact of current interventions to improve early detection of tuberculosis (TB) seems to have been saturated. Case detection trends have stagnated. TB incidence is falling in most settings worldwide, but the rate of decline is far lower than expected. There is growing evidence, from national TB prevalence surveys and other research of a large pool of undetected TB in the community. There have recently been calls to revisit TB screening, particularly in high-risk groups, as a tool to achieve earlier and increased case detection. Screening for active TB, defined by WHO as “the systematic identification of people with suspected active TB in a predetermined target group by the application of tests, examinations or other procedures that can be applied rapidly” is a procedure currently recommended only for PLHA and close contacts of SS+ TB patients. However, there is increasing consensus on the appropriateness of screening to detect early cases in most at risk categories, particularly in high-burden settings. In Nepal, due to factors such as harsh geography, population density, widespread poverty, rapid urbanization and poor access to preventative and curative quality health services there are pockets of population where TB is still rampant in spite of the general good performance of the National TB Programme. Intensify the efforts to achieve higher case detection has been identified as one of the operational programmatic priorities for Phase 2 of the NSA Grant and the NTP is seriously committed to pursue ambitious objectives in this area through large and sustained investment.
Objective
Against the above background, the reviewer should comment on:
• Key epidemiological features of TB disease and infection in Nepal
• Risk-groups of major relevance, potentially eligible for TB screening in Nepal
• Magnitude of childhood TB and applicable measures for its early detection, notification and effective treatment;
• Progress to date on contact investigation activities (TB REACH and other initiatives) and way forward;
• Strategic approaches to TB screening among slum dwellers, IDUs, diabetic patients, smokers, alcoholics, prisoners, migrants, health workers and other categories;
• A detailed action plan to pilot TB screening among Nepalese most at risk population;
• The most appropriate use of new diagnostic technologies for increased case detection.
MINIMUM REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CONSULTANT
Educational qualifications
- University degree in health-related science
- Master in Public Health and/or Epidemiology or equivalent title / working experience
- Training on TB control, with special focus on TB epidemiology and social determinants of health.
Work experience
- At least 10 years of employment in organizations engaged in public health and disease control
- At least 7 years of international experience in low-income countries
- Previous experience as consultants for NTP or other programme reviews
Skills
- Excellent knowledge of spoken and written English and capacity to produce high level formal documents and effective presentations in this language
- Working knowledge of most popular software package for TB epidemiology
- Capacity to produce results working in a team, under pressure and within a limited time frame.
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| Training Opportunity: | Yes |
| Website: | www.nepalntp.gov.np |
| Purpose 1: | High risk groups: prisoners, refugees, TB contacts, special |
| Purpose 2: | |
| Purpose 3: | |
| Other purpose: | |
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| Entered by: | NTP |
| Partner 1: | NTP |
| Partner 2: | WHO/SEARO |
| Partner 3: | GDF |
| Contact name: | Dr Giampaolo Mezzabotta, MO/TUB |
| Contact email: | mezzabottag@searo.who.int |
| Other agencies: | GLC, LHL. |
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| Funding needs: | No |
| Funding source: | Global Fund - Fonds Mondial |
| Other funding source: | LHL, RIT |
| Available funding: | $ 0 |
| Funding gap: | $ 0 |
| Global Fund reference: | |
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| Comments: | Applications (CV + motivation letter) should be sent to the contact person no later than April 21, 2013.
Consultancy fees are as for WHO remuneration scale for Nepal, depending on seniority and qualifications of the consultant.
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There are no experts (roster) associated with this event. There are no experts (non-roster) associated with this event.
Date Created: 28 March 2013
Entered By: Nepal
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