Individual Consultancy at Medecins du Monde Tanzania

Individual Consultancy

Ajira Mpya Medecins du Monde Tanzania April 2025

Individual Consultancy at Medecins du Monde Tanzania April 2025
Individual
Consultancy Assignment Support the establishment of harm reduction
approach to drug use for Kigali Mental Health Referral Center (KMHRC),
Rwanda

• Duty Station: Remote
• Date Posted: April 16,04, 2025
• Deadline: April 20, 2025 by 5:00 Pm EAT.
• Languages: Fluent in English.
• Time and Working Days: From May to October 2025, Maximum working days: 40 days including training and travelling.
• Starting date: May 1, 2025.

Background and context
For
more than 40 years, Médecins du Monde, a campaigning medical
organization committed to international solidarity, has been caring for
the most vulnerable populations here and abroad. It has continued to
bear witness to obstacles that exist in accessing healthcare and has
secured sustainable improvements in health-for-all policies.

Those
working for this independent organization do not solely dispense care
and treatment but condemn violations of human dignity and rights and
fight to improve matters for populations living in precarious
situations.

MdM France currently
works in 30 countries across all continents to facilitate access to
healthcare through 6 political battles:

• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
• Migration, Exile, Human Rights and Health
• Harm Reduction
• Environment and Health
• Humanitarian Space
• Healthcare systems and rights

MDM
has been present in Tanzania since 2010 and established the first
comprehensive harm reduction project for PWUD in Dar es Salaam. In 2019,
this project was transferred to the local NGO Mukikute, as a successor
to continue providing services, while MdM remained as the technical
assistance organization to continue providing technical support for
local actors. MdM supported the government of Tanzania to scale up NSP
(needle and syringe program) in other regions outside of Dar es Salaam.

Since
2022, MdM together with Burnet Institute, INPUD and University of
Bristol engaged in CUTTS (Catalyze the Uptake of Underutilized tools for
hepatitis C) research project to manage the study across 3 countries.
This research project has 3 main components; model of care study to test
and treat hepatitis C, value and preferences for low dead space
syringes among people who inject drugs, feasibility of long-acting depot
buprenorphine as the option for OAT.

In the meantime, from 2022
to 2024, MdM supported Ministry of Health and local actors in Burundi
to develop OAT guideline and setting up of the very first OAT program in
Bujumbura. Moreover, MdM joined the consortium with 5 local CSOs
(TUBITEHO Project) from Rwanda in 2022 as to provide technical
assistance to initiate the harm reduction services in Kigali which
entails development of guidelines, training, mobilize and empower PWUD
community.

Since the beginning of 2025, a technical assistance
project started to support Kigali Mental Health Referral Center (KMHRC).
This technical assistance project requires to develop a series of
guidelines, protocols, training materials, to organize consultation
meetings/workshop with local stakeholders (MoH, KMHRC, CSO, PWUD/PWID
community etc.) and also to organize training for relevant stakeholders
to initiate OAT service in KMHRC which will be a center of excellence
for substance use treatment, training and research in the country.

Scope of work and activities.
The
role of the consultant is to review existing resources (guidelines,
manuals, training manual and materials etc.) from credible sources;
international, regional and national including WHO, UNODC and UNAIDS and
develop contextualized ones for Rwanda and also deliver the training
for the health care providers of KMHRC and other mental health centers.

The consultant will work closely with

• the
  team from KMHRC (Director of the center, psychiatrists, nurses, social
  workers etc.), Rwanda Biomedical center (RBC), other mental health
  referral centers in Kigali, Rehabilitation centers, CSOs and PWUD
  community representatives
• MdM team from head quarter (technical referents)
• MdM team in Tanzania to ensure smooth communication and coordination among all stakeholders.

The
consultant will be part of the technical team coordinated by Harm
Reduction Coordinator of MDM Tanzania and will require close
coordination to ensure the deliverables are achieved within the
timeline.

Outputs / deliverables.

• Harm reduction manual/guideline for opioid use ( for people who use/inject drugs)
• Guideline for Management of opioid overdose and intoxication
• Referral
  guidelines across different service providers i.e. OAT clinic, public
  health facilities including mental health and other health care
  services, civil society organizations, other public service departments
  such as social welfare, law enforcement, key population
  networks/organizations
• Guidelines on community engagement and
  mobilization focusing on key population for their active involvement in
  harm reduction programming
• Strategy and roll out plan for comprehensive harm reduction program for RBC
• M&E framework for harm Reduction program (and provides input to HMIS team for data management and integration)
• Develop
  (or adapt existing training manuals) training materials and deliver
  training for (i) Harm Reduction (ii) management of opioid overdose (iii)
  tackling stigma and discrimination against people who use /inject drugs
  and key populations (iv) harm reduction for women who use drugs
• Provide orientation on guidelines (i) Referral guideline (ii) community engagement and mobilization (iii) M&E framework

Timeline and working days.

• From May to October 2025
• Maximum working days: 40 days including training and travelling

Qualification and selection criteria.
MdM
is seeking a consultant with expertise in literature review, program
and strategy analysis, writing proposals, guidelines, high level
reports, advocacy /policy brief with strong experience in harm reduction
for people who use/inject drugs and key populations.
The consultant /technical expert is expected to have the following qualifications, experience and competencies:

• Advanced academic degree (Master or PhD) in the field of health, social
  science and other health related studies. Bachelor’s degree with strong
  experience (more than 5 years) in a relevant field is acceptable
• Extensive knowledge and experience in harm reduction programming (minimum 5 years) for PWUD/PWID and community engagement
• Proven experience of working on similar assignments (developing guidelines, providing training)
• Familiarity and exposure to rights-based approaches to health care
• Ability to work proactively, independently and effectively meeting deadlines
• Excellent command in written and spoken English
• Can travel to Rwanda throughout the assignment

Desirable

• Experience working with Government institutions, international NGOs and UN agencies is also highly desirable.
• Experience working in international contexts including African region, LMIC and conflict affected context is desirable

How to apply
Individual consultants are invited to share the following documents

• CV
• A cover letter outlining relevant for the assignment
• An example of previous work on a similar assignment (treatment guideline, training etc.)
• Technical and Financial proposal

Submit your application via email to:
partnership-officer.tanzania@medecinsdumonde.net
Late applications will not be considered.