Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, International Medical Corps is a private, voluntary, non-political, non-sectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in underserved communities worldwide. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at the highest risk, and the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergencies, International Medical Corps rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.

​​PROGRAM BACKGROUND

International Medical Corps (IMC) has been working in the Darfur region since 2004, providing interventions including nutrition, primary health care, maternal and child health, secondary health care, awareness and prevention, outbreak surveillance and response, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to Internally displaced people, refugees, and host communities in addition to capacity building of the Ministry of Health and the community. IMC supports 86 health facilities in West, Central, and South Darfur, South Kordofan, and the Blue Nile states. In response to the refugee crisis in East Sudan, IMC provides essential primary healthcare, nutrition, and community-based WASH assistance. This is achieved through donors, such as BHA, ECHO, EU, SHF, UNICEF, and WFP, government counterparts, and the population.

Since early November, military confrontations between the federal and regional forces in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, which borders both Sudan and Eritrea, have led more and more people to flee the region seeking safety in neighbouring Sudan. According to the report from UNHCR Ethiopian situation 16th March to 7th April 2021, the humanitarian situation across the Tigray Region remains deeply concerning for refugees, the internally displaced and host communities. Civilians have endured five months of conflict with extremely limited basic services and assistance, leading to a significant escalation in humanitarian needs with new displacement ongoing. The security situation remains volatile especially in rural areas, affecting civilians and constraining humanitarian actors on the ground.

According to UNHCR and UNOCHA, an estimated 60,000 people have been displaced from the Tigray region of Ethiopia and crossed to Sudan being hosted in the Eastern States of Kassala and Gedaref[1].

In Sudan, the Refugee Working Group (RWG) in East Sudan is the main coordination forum for emergency response, while the Refugee Consultation Forum (RCF) provides coordination at the national level. The RCF launched an inter-agency Emergency Refugee Response Plan**​​**to respond to the Ethiopia situation, with a USD 147 million inter-agency appeals to meet the urgent needs of nearly 100,000 Ethiopian refugees coming into Sudan. It brings together a multi-sectoral response with over 30 partners, including UN Agencies, national and international NGOs, covering an initial period of 8 months from November 2020 until June 2021, with a worst-case scenario planning for 200,000 people in need and a likely scenario for 100,000 people. The plan, which includes inputs from humanitarian organizations on the ground, should support and guide operational partner’s programming in response to the refugee influx in Eastern Sudan.

There is an urgent need to improve and extend nutrition and food assistance services to all sites, with rising numbers of new arrivals; water is mainly sourced from the water stations in the nearby community, with regular damages disrupting water supply. Access to sanitation facilities (latrines), waste management, and health and hygiene knowledge remains the key challenges. Shortages in health staff, medicines and medical supplies, laboratory diagnostic tests, beds, and ambulances.

Refugees ask for support with Family Tracing and Reunification, as many have been separated during the start of the conflict and have not been able to get in contact since. As more unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) approach the desk, there is a need to expand temporary group care arrangements in the new communal shelters, currently being constructed until family-based care can be found[2].

IMC’s nutrition program contains strong community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) and infant and young child feeding (IYCF) program, which are implemented at the community and health facility level to improve accessibility and availability of services. The Gedaref camp has two clinics currently operated by the State Ministry of Health (SMoH), providing health services and nutritional screenings. The following partners; International Rescue Committee (IRC), Save the Children International (SCI) MEDAIR International, Global Aid Hand (GAH), Humanitarian Relief Foundation in partnership with UN agencies, UNCHR, UNICEF among others under coordination of line ministries to implement various projects which include Health & Nutrition, FSL, WASH and Shelter. More resources are required to meet the needs of the Refugees.

Through a robust IYCF approach, IMC has a strong approach to optimal infant and maternal care services for the first 1,000 days, from conception to 23 months. To reach as many people as possible, International Medical Corps applies a mixed approach which includes forming and facilitating mother support groups based on the care group model, counseling for those with breastfeeding and/or complementary feeding problems, and group and individual education during ANCs, PNCs and OTP follow-up days. Child anthropometric data are recorded from Community Health Workers (CHWs), Family MUAC, and the nutrition team across the 86 health facilities.

Due to the massive needs of the displaced people, IMC is proposing a SMART survey to better understand nutritional and health needs to be able to design programme that fills the gaps identified. These findings will be backed up with the State Ministry of Health (SMoH)/UNICEF nutrition screening for under five-year-olds, which has been conducted.

PURPOSE

IMC is recruiting a consultant to carry out a SMART survey on prevalence of malnutrition, IYCF, Health and WASH indicators among the displaced community with Gedaref camp.

The overall objective of the survey is to assess the level of malnutrition of children 6-59 months, women of reproductive age, morbidity and mortality rates Infant and young child feeding practices among children 0-23 months, and WASH gaps and practices within the Gedaref camp.

OBJECTIVES

· To determine the prevalence of acute malnutrition, chronic malnutrition, underweight and overweight among children 6-59 months and PLWs

· To assess retrospective morbidity among children under 5

· To assess retrospective mortality (Crude Mortality and U5 Mortality rates) over 3 months recall period among populations

· To assess the coverage of measles vaccine and Vitamin A

· To assess IYCF practices among the households with children 0-23 months in the target population (early initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, continued breastfeeding to 1 year and 2 years, timely introduction of complementary feeding, dietary diversity, meal frequency, minimum acceptable diet, and bottle feeding).

· Furnish key water Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) gaps, and current health and hygiene practices among people living in Gedaref Camp

· To establish recommendations on actions to address identified sectoral gaps to support planning, advocacy, decision-making, and monitoring.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and design SMART survey protocol, including sample size estimation, population size, clustering of the villages, etc., and validate contextual tools using the SMART methodology
• Train the SMART data collection teams and data clerks (including field testing)
• Assume overall responsibility for design and implementation of the SMART, including daily supervision of SMART teams and daily data collection quality assurance
• Be responsible for data cleaning and analysis using appropriate software, i.e., Epi Info, SPSS, ENA for SMART
• Prepare a draft SMART survey report for review by IMC, ensuring that the survey is comprehensive and includes all relevant indicators
• Prepare a final report including background, methodology, results, limitations, conclusions, and recommendations incorporating feedback from IMC staff on the draft report
• Prepare and lead a validation workshop for MOH and stakeholders in Gedaref*.* This presentation of survey outcomes will be shared at the national level via the Nutrition Cluster

Code of Conduct

As applicable to this position, an individual must promote and encourage a culture of compliance and ethics throughout the organization and maintain a clear understanding of International Medical Corps’ and donor compliance and ethics standards and adheres to those standards.

If this is a supervisory position, one must set an example of ethical behavior through one’s own conduct and oversight of the work of others; ensure that those who report to you have sufficient knowledge and resources to follow the standards outlined in the Code of Conduct & Ethics; monitor compliance of the people you supervise; enforce the Code of Conduct & Ethics and International Medical Corps’ policies, including the Safeguarding Policy and the Protection from Harassment, Bullying and Sexual Misconduct in the Workplace Policy, consistently and fairly; support employees who in good faith raise questions or concerns.

It is all staff shared responsibility and obligation to safeguard and protect populations with whom we work, including adults who may be particularly vulnerable and children. This includes safeguarding from the following conduct by our staff or partners: sexual exploitation and abuse; exploitation, neglect, or abuse of children, adults at risk, or LGBTI individuals; and any form of trafficking in persons. Staff are also responsible for preventing violations to our Code of Conduct and Ethics, which may involve Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption or Harassment. If you see, hear or are made aware of any violations to the Code of Conduct and Ethics or Safeguarding Policy, you have an obligation to report.

Qualification

· A health professional or nutritionist with MPH, MSc, or advanced professional degree or field-related experience.**

Experience

· Significant and proven experience, at least three years, in community-based studies, including SMART surveys.**

· Knowledge in designing and implementing CMAM and IYCF programs**

· Excellent analytical and statistical skills.**

· Strong communication skills, able to effectively present information clearly and respond appropriately to questions from IMC staff and other relevant stakeholders**

· Strong supervisory and organizational skills**

· Ability to work on own initiative and to meet deadlines.**

· Ability to cope with stress; hardship; patience and flexibility and willingness to work additional hours to meet tight deadlines;**

· Ability and willingness to travel to field sites and nutrition facilities**

· Advanced proficiency in the use of MS Office, EPI INFO, SPSS, and ENA SMART Software.**

· Fluent in written and spoken English and Arabic and any local language will be an added advantage. **

· The candidate must present an approved final report of the one most recent SMART survey that he/she had conducted**

Equal Opportunities

International Medical Corps is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.