Zambia Non-Communicable Diseases Programme: call for proposals

Introduction

The Scottish Government (SG) is seeking an organisation (the grant holder) with international development research expertise in noncommunicable diseases, to undertake the scoping, design, delivery and ongoing management of a new programme on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) (PEN-Plus) in Zambia, as part of the International Development Fund (IDF), for up to three years with the potential to extend by a further two years, subject to review from the SG and Government of Zambia, and the annual enactment of the Budget (Scotland) Bill for each of those financial years.

What will be delivered?

The successful grant holder is required to (1) set-up two training centres to deliver high quality PEN-Plus care and train district health workers to deliver PEN-Plus and (2) bolster Ministry of Health (MoH) NCD capacity through secondment of a public health specialist. The grant holder will be required to co-ordinate work with other partners. Input from the SG will be given as required. The grant holder is expected to oversee the whole project including sub-grantees, supplies, capital goods (possibly including infrastructure), selection and training of trainers using nationally agreed curricula, teaching resources implement a standardised and endorsed version of PEN-Plus standards as is feasible, delivery of training to selected health-workers and ongoing supervision of health workers in the field. In addition the Grant holder will oversee selection of a local public health specialist to provide increased NCD capacity in the MoH.

The grant holder will be required to design the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework that will be used to assess success of the programme throughout its lifespan. This should be, where possible, in accordance with the anticipated Zambia National Operational Plan for PEN Plus, including relevant data and indicators.

Non-Communicable Diseases Programme: The NCD Health Programme in Zambia is a new programme under the IDF. The overall aim of the NCD Health Programme is to increase financial and political engagement and commitment for the prevention, diagnosis and management of NCDs. In Zambia one aim is to scale up access to PEN-Plus by training of district health workers to deliver care according to the regional strategy for the WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO). The NCD Health Programme will take a participatory approach to increasing access to locally led quality NCD care in SG partner countries (PCs): Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia; in a way that reduces health inequalities and builds institutional resilience in our African PC health systems, in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (UN SDG3) on good health and wellbeing.

How it will be delivered?

The successful candidate will be required to mainstream gender equality (see Annex D) and ensure a partner-led approach throughout all aspects of the programme. As part of the SG’s new approach within its Official Development Assistance (ODA) spend, the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) gender equality policy marker scoring should be applied to all new funding (OECD, 2023).^[1]

In line with the Scottish Government’s International Development Principles, commitments to ‘do no harm’, and to be Global South-led, we are seeking a grant holder to design and deliver the International Development Programme on NCDs in Zambia taking a participatory approach^[2]. The programme design, delivery, and evaluation processes will involve meaningful participation from a diverse range of stakeholders, including marginalised groups (e.g. participants from a range of different: ages, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, religions, rural and urban areas, those living with disabilities).