Consultant to develop a Climate Resilient Health Facility Emergency Preparedness and Management Plan

Terms of Reference (TOR)

Develop a Climate Resilient Health Facility Emergency Preparedness and Management Plan of Susta Rural Municipality, Nawalparasi West District Nepal.

1.         Background

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, with a network of 191-member National Societies (NSs). The overall aim of IFRC is “to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by NSs with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.” IFRC works to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable people before, during and after disasters, health emergencies and other crises. IFRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (Movement), together with its member National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The Canadian Red Cross (CRC) is a member society of the IFRC.  The IFRC CRC supports Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) ’s long-term health programs with a vision to build the institutional capacity of NRCS within Nepal’s national health system. IFRC CRC is working with NRCS to support health programming based on NRCS priorities and engagement with Red Cross Movement (RCM) partners (IFRC, ICRC and PNSs).

The IFRC CRC is providing support to the NRCS to implement the “Strengthening Climate Resilient Health System” project at Susta rural municipality in Nawalparasi West district from February 2024. The project aims to build health system resilience to provide quality health care services to women, girls, boys and people with disabilities during and after climate related disasters in the Nawalparasi West District of Nepal. Climate change is a major global threat to human health and puts tremendous pressure on health systems. The health system should respond to the healthcare needs of the people when facing the effects of climate change. Therefore, a resilient health system is crucial to enhance, maintain, and restore the people’s health. 

The project is being implemented by the Nepal Red Cross Nawalparasi West district chapter in collaboration with Susta Rural Municipality. 

The climate Resilient Health Facility Emergency Preparedness and Management Plan aims at enhancing the resilience of health services in the face of emergencies (particularly to flood, heat wave and cold wave). The plan should outline procedures and protocols to support health facilities prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate induced emergencies ensuring continuity of essential health services.

2.         Objective

The consultancy aims to develop climate resilient health facility emergency Preparedness and Management Plan for Susta Rural Municipality to ensure practical, comprehensive, and adaptable health facilities to continue its services during and after various emergencies. This involves incorporating WHO’s frameworks of health resilience and aligning best practices in emergency preparedness and response planning.

3.         Scope of Work

3.1         Literature review

• Conduct an in-depth review of the global, national and local literature on climate change and its impact on health system, people’s health
• Review the climate change and health vulnerability and adaptation assessment report of the CRC/NRCS conducted in Feb/March 2024. 

3.2     Risk Assessment and Prioritization:

• Risk assessment to identify potential climate-related emergencies (e.g., floods, heatwaves, Cold-waves, waterborne disease, Vector borne diseases) and their impact on health facilities. 
• Prioritize the identified risks based on their likelihood, severity, and potential impact on health service delivery and community health outcomes.

3.3         Stakeholder engagement/workshop 

• Engage with a few key stakeholders including NRCS and relevant Movement partners, Susta Rural Municipality, academia, and local stakeholders to gather insights and feedback.
• Interact with the MoHP, WHO and other health stakeholders for feedback

3.4         Draft Climate Resilient Health Facility Emergency Preparedness and Management Plan

• Prepare the Climate Resilient Health Facility Emergency Preparedness and Management Plan based on feedback, ensuring it is user-friendly, adaptable, and comprehensive, aligned with other related tools and documents that relate to the ERP process (eg. WHO service continuity plan for health facility, criteria for health system resilience etc).

3.5         Conduct drill and simulation

• Test the draft climate resilient Health Facility Emergency Preparedness and Management Plan through drill/simulation and suggest the preparedness and response measures for health service continuity through after-action review (drill/simulation). A brief after action review report highlighting the adjustments to process, practices and recommendations to be submitted. 

3.6         Finalize the plan

• Develop final version of the climate resilient Health Facility Emergency Preparedness and Management Plan, incorporating feedback from simulation/after action review and workshop. 

4.         Deliverables and duration

The consultancy is expected to be completed over 28 working days, within a 60 -day period starting June 2024. Below are the details of assignments/deliverables and timelines, however the consultant can propose different opinions/methods/timelines in the application document.

5.         Support to be provided by Canadian Red Cross and Nepal Red Cross Society

• Assistance in connecting to relevant field-based staff/stakeholders
• Communicate internally to any authority as necessary. 
• Provide all reference documents to consultant
• Provide information/inputs during any consultative meeting/interview. 
• Review and provide inputs to the inception report and monitor the progress during implementation
• Review and provide input on the draft plan. 
• Make necessary payments to the consultant as per agreement signed between IFRC/Canadian Red Cross and the consultant.  

6.         Reporting 

The consultant will report to the IFRC Canadian Red Cross Nepal Delegation and the Nepal Red Cross Society Project team. 

7.         Required Documents/Certificates with the proposal: 

The documents/certificates that should be submitted/attached with your offer are: -

• Acknowledgement of ToR. (Please attach the signed copy of these Terms of Reference with your offer)
• latest CV of individual or CV of team members 
• At least one certificate of similar kind of experience
• Copy of VAT/PAN registration certificate 
• In case of company a copy of Business Registration/renewal certificate and copy of latest TAX clearance certificate/latest audit report

8.         Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Public Health, Emergency Management, Health Systems Strengthening, or related fields.
• Proven expertise in climate change, disaster risk management, emergency preparedness and response planning, particularly in health sector.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, training facilitation, and development of practical plan, guides and tools.
• Strong analytical, writing, and communication skills in English.

9.         Quality & Ethical Standards

The consultant will sign and adhere to the IFRC and NRCS code of conduct,  Key institutional policies and standards the Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA), Protection, Gender and Inclusion (PGI), Child Protection, etc. All materials produced by the service provider must be in line with ethical values and principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and validated and approved as needed.  The seven Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent: 1) humanity, 2) impartiality, 3) neutrality, 4) independence, 5) voluntary service, 6) unity, and 7) universality. Further information about these Principles can be obtained at: www.ifrc.org/what/values/principles/index.asp

We thank you in advance for understanding that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the next step in the application process.  

Interested applicants should submit their application to the following email: aliza.baidya@ifrc.org, by 19 May 2024.