2025-01 TOR_ Capacity building on New Born for posting.docx

UNICEF Health Strategy calls to end preventable maternal, newborn & child deaths by 2030 and building stronger health systems and local capacities. With this goal, UNICEF CO supports Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan efforts in implementation of the 2021-2025 National Strategy Healthy Mother—Healthy Child—Healthy Future maintaining focus on the critical unmet needs related to maternal, newborn and under-five survival.

Despite the slight decline, child mortality remains high at 40,39 per 1,000 live births, and infant mortality is its primary contributor, with 35,01 per 1,000 live births. Infectious diseases, including pneumonia, diarrhea, and sepsis, remain a leading cause of under-five deaths, along with preterm birth and trauma. Many of these conditions are preventable and treatable with basic, affordable, and practical solutions.

The first 28 days of life – the neonatal period – is the most vulnerable time for a child’s survival. Neonatal mortality is 23 per 1,000 live births, as part of under-five mortality, which gets particular focus due to the substantial portion of children that die in the brief period just after birth (UN IGME, 2022). It requires increased attention, knowledge, and skills of medical personnel, which reduces the risk of complications and ensures a favorable start in life for the child and his family.

There are three levels of perinatal care provision in Turkmenistan, however, critically ill children are still often nursed in adult ICUs, where medical and nursing staff often lack pediatric training. Challenges remain with quality improvement (QI). Previously conducted training of medical specialists in oxygen therapy revealed an urgent need to update national neonatology protocols and

improve the knowledge and skills of clinicians working in maternity wards and intensive care units to provide life-saving care to newborns and children.

Following positive feedback on workshops held in 2024, MoHMI has requested UNICEF to support training of trainers nationwide.

In this context, UNICEF plans to engage individual consultant to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan (MoHMI) in conducting ToTs for clinicians on emergency care for newborns and children under 5.  

For every child, health 

How can you make a difference? 

Technical assistance to MOHMI to train clinicians who will, in turn, build capacity for emergency care for newborns in the delivery room. This includes identifying and managing urgent conditions in intensive care units using the latest WHO recommendations and techniques. The consultancy will also include developing algorithms for physicians in emergency care settings.

Training of Trainers: The program for preparing national and regional trainers among neonatal intensive therapists and anesthesiologists should consist of four training cycles divided into modules and include theoretical lessons, practical exercises, and the provision of consultative support in healthcare facilities on critical topics.

Development of Clinical Algorithms: The consultant will develop and provide algorithms to assist physicians in emergency care settings, ensuring efficient and accurate decision-making processes. Algorithms are expected to be compact and practical, each covering 2-3 pages for ease of use in the following intensive situations:

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
• Parenteral Nutrition
• Diagnosis and Treatment of Jaundice
• Therapy of Septic Shock
• Therapy of Seizure Syndrome
• Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS).

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in  
  *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree. 
• A minimum of [insert years] of relevant professional experience in 
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset. 
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset. 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.