Institution:        Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa (CTCA)            

Project Title:       Enhancing Tobacco Control Sustainability in Africa

  1. Introduction:

The Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa (CTCA) was established in July 2011 by the World Health Organization, with funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to build and sustain the institutional capacity of African governments in tobacco control. CTCA has received phase III funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the Africa Capacity Building Foundation to implement a three-year project to enhance tobacco control sustainability in Africa. The project objectives include;

  1. Improve sustainability of tobacco control in target countries,
  2. Enhance tobacco control actors’ knowledge and skills in policy, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation,
  3. Foster TC research and alternative livelihood interventions and,
  4. Strengthen CTCA institutional and human capacity to effectively deliver on its mandate.

Capacity building, specifically training, in tobacco control has been largely implemented in a piecemeal approach. The short-term trainings are usually based on technical areas drawn from the WHO FCTC as there is no formal training of TC from education institutions. The assumption is that technical TC areas are what is necessary for training and not functional areas. Most tobacco control fellowships are purely research fellowships mainly attached to universities for evidence generation and some as scholarships for PhD Or Masters studies. These Fellows may not necessarily be tobacco control implementers.

In addition, there are a limited number of tobacco control technocrats in governments as TC isn’t prioritized and institutionalized in the government system. The TC Focal Persons are only assigned in addition to their primary substantive responsibilities in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), mental health, drug abuse and other areas. This means that there are no personnel dedicated to implement TC.

As we move towards sustainability of TC, more hands-on qualified and competent personnel are required to implement the National Tobacco Control Programs. CTCA in conformity to her capacity building mandate is developing a capacity building curiculum drawing from the Capacity and Training Needs Asessment Report and the Capacity Building. In order to deliver a relevant context specific curriculum, the centre wishes to carry out a consultative conversation with a number of experts in specialities of law, epidemiology, economics, agroeconomics, anthropology, communication, planning, management and program measurement drawn from training institutions, governments, private practitioners and TC partners in its target countries.  

Assignment objective and Scope of Work:

The overall objective of the assignment is to develop a Tobacco Control curriculum and/with training modules for TC in Africa.

This is a CTCA curriculum to be developed in collaboration with the School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University. It is intended to guide TC training in Africa with accreditation of Makerere University.

The assignment builds on existing capacity narratives among them; the WHO FCTC, training needs assessment report, Capacity building Model, CTCA institutional manuals, data-to-action workshop reports and the National Tobacco Control Program documents. The assignment recommend appropriate methodology for capacity curriculum and training modules for TC in Africa to build in-countries resilience in TC.

Specific roles and duties of this assignment include;

  1. Undertake a review of the WHO FCTC, training needs assessment report, Capacity Building Model, CTCA institutional manuals, data-to-action workshop reports and the National Tobacco Control Program documents
  2. Review existing training programs to identify drivers and constraints of cirriiculum development for TC in Africa
  3. Carry out a stakeholder knowledge and skills analysis mapping to identify co-consultants to work with in drawing the CTCA TC Curriculum and underpin roles and responsibilities of the various key players and institutions.
  4. Dialogue with capacity building stakeholders, TC policy makers, technocrats and implementers in Africa
  5. Review relevant documents highlighted above
  6. Build on priority training modules highlighted in the Training Needs Assessment report.
  7. Identify the training institutions to work with

STRUCTURE AND FORMAT OF TRAINING

The training course is designed to be a CTCA Certificate Course developed in collaboration with the School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University. It is intended to guide TC training in Africa with accreditation of Makerere University. It is designed to be a virtual and physical/face-to-face course recognized by Makerere University.

The course targets mid-level and senior level workers seeking to retool their skills set across the structure and provisions of the FCTC. It will be a paid course to maintain itelf. The target training audience includes; health professional in all fields, economists, athropologists, agroeconomists, legal professionals, communication specialists, media actors, policy and strategy level actors

METHODOLOGY

The consultant is expected to do an extensive literature search and propose a methodology and strategy that will be agreed on with the CTCA and MakSPH. The lead consultant will identify and assemble a strong team from the target field reflective of the training areas. CTCA will have a core team to guide the assignment

KEY DELIVERABLES

  • Inception report with a detailed methodology, timelines, information sources, and institutions / organizations to be consulted in undertaking the assignment
  • Consultative and validation workshop or working meetings
  • Process report
  • Draft report curriculum with modules
  • Final curriculum after incorporating comments from CTCA, Validation process

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES OF THE CONSULTANT

  • Education: Minimum of a master’s degree in international development, Public Health, Business Administration, organisational psychology  
  • At least 10 years of experience in capacity building, organisational development
  • Proven record in conducting curriculum development and developing capacity development strategies
  • Demonstrated experience working in Africa region  and knowledge of Tobacco Control
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and French
  • Demonstrated analytical skills, clarity in writing, ability in translating abstract concepts into concrete actions/recommendations
  • Working with multidisplinary teams

TIME FRAME AND DEADLINES

The assignments is for consults based in academic institutions preferably Universities and coordinated under Makerere University due to proximity with the Centre. It is for a period of two moths from 1st September to  31st December 2021.

REPORTING

The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Manager, CTCA. He or she will work closely with country TC Focal persons in the target countries.

SELECTION OF BEST CANDIDATE

The best candidate will be selected on merit in accordance with the Selection Based on the Individual Qualifications and experience.

Application Procedures

Interested and suitably qualified candidates may apply for the post by:

Submitting a motivation letter of not more than 1000 words and clearly marked as “Expression of Interest to Develop a Tobacco Control Curriculum with Training Modules ” in soft copies at the address below not later than 17:00 hours on December 5th, 2021.

In addition, interested applicants should submit:

i)  an application letter,

ii) a CV with contacts of 3 professional referees, and

iii) a copy of all relevant academic documents in PDF.

Applications should be sent to Email: eoi@ctc-africa.org