National Consultant: Support to HIV prevention and Pre Exposure Prophylaxis access through General Practitioners in East Malaysia
World Health Organization (WHO)
WP_MYS Malaysia
Consultancy Locallly Recruited Close on 14 Oct 2025
The consultant will support the implementation of a UN SDG Trust Fund-supported HIV prevention project, focused on extending access to Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and other HIV prevention services for key and vulnerable populations in Sabah and Sarawak, through a community-led model involving General Practitioners (GPs) and, work with the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) and the WHO country office. The consultant will provide technical and operational support to ensure timely and quality implementation aligned with national and WHO guidelines and will be based at the MAC office while reporting to both MAC and WHO.
Malaysia HIV situation continues to be driven by key populations including men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender women, people who inject drugs (PWID), and sex workers. Access to PrEP remains limited in rural and remote areas, particularly in East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), due to geographic, stigma-related, and policy barriers.
This SDG Trust Fund-supported project aims to:
• Deliver community-led HIV prevention services including PrEP, Chemsex harm reduction, and adherence support.
• Engage GPs as service providers to deliver stigma-free care in underserved locations.
• Deploy PrEP navigators and peer support mechanisms for outreach and retention.
• Strengthen Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) adherence through structured digital tools, capacity- building and peer-led approaches.
The consultant will serve as the technical and operational bridge between WHO, MAC, GPs and other stakeholders for smooth execution of this multi-sectoral and community-focused initiative and is expected to work on-site at MAC and report regularly to MAC’s designated supervisor before reporting to WHO’s technical lead. To ensure quality implementation, the consultant will also provide support to project coordination, service delivery, and regular monitoring requirements to support and closely work with the officers and short-term consultant involved in monitoring and evaluation.
Under the supervision of the Disease Control team lead, WHO, and the designated MAC supervisor for field level implementation, all required deliverables, clear reports before share with WHO. The selected consultant needs to work closely with MAC to deliver the following.
Output 1: Technical and operational support for PrEP and HIV prevention activities
Deliverable 1.1 Support in finalizing implementation plans for GPs, PrEP navigators, and peer-led activities in target locations identified in Sabah and Sarawak with a strong focus on innovative and bold approaches to reach hard-to-reach and underserved populations.
Deliverable 1.2 Support MAC-WHO joint workplan implementation, including but not limited to establishment strategic partnerships with GPs to facilitate PrEP provision and training of GPs
Deliverable 1.3 Support stakeholder management, monitor risks and propose timely mitigation measures including addressing stigma, discrimination, and geographical access barriers unique to East Malaysia.
Deliverable 1.4 Participate in designing micro plans for outreach, education, testing, and PrEP provision, in collaboration with MAC, Ministry of Health counterparts, WHO, and relevant community partners, identified by MAC with integration of Chemsex harm reduction strategies and tailored messaging for key populations.
Deliverable 1.5 Ensure service packages align with WHO and MoH guidelines on PrEP and HIV prevention while exploring opportunities for adapting guidelines to fit the realities of remote and rural contexts.
Deliverable 1.6 Assist with development and implementation of tools to monitor uptake and adherence to PrEP among vulnerable population categories including Chemsex with disaggregated data analysis for sub-groups such as MSM, transgender women, sex workers, and people engaging in Chemsex.
Deliverable 1.7 Design and recommend bold, evidence-based program models for PrEP expansion in Sabah and Sarawak, including integration with existing HIV and sexual health services, community-based testing, and differentiated service delivery models.
Output 2: support for project monitoring, and reporting
Deliverable 2.1 Closely work with WHO and MAC staff in project implementation as with the project activities planned by MAC, ensuring timely coordination between community-based implementers, GPs, and other stakeholders.
Deliverable 2.2 Conduct field visits as required to target sites to support monitoring, resolve bottlenecks, and support implementation teams as needed, including hands-on problem-solving in remote or resource-limited areas.
Deliverable 2.3 Support data collection and monitoring for the project monitoring and Evaluation consultant and project teams for data analysis and interpretation of PrEP uptake, adherence, dropouts, and GP engagement with specific attention to retention challenges in hard-to-reach populations.
Deliverable 2.4 Provide monthly technical updates to WHO and MAC, as monthly progress reports documenting activities, challenges, and results and submitting reports to both organizations.
Deliverable 2.5 Support compiling progress reports for contracting agency for identified deliverables with timely fund disbursements to ensure effective project implementation, highlighting best practices, lessons learned, and opportunities for scale-up.
Deliverable 2.6 Prepare quality inputs for final technical and financial reports to be submitted to the WHO, MAC, and the UN SDG Trust Fund secretariat, including documentation of community-led innovations in PrEP delivery.
Deliverable 2.7 Identify potential success stories and support MAC and WHO Communication team in providing visibility to SDG Trust fund.
Deliverable 2.8 Organize regular meetings of Project Oversight Committee and Project Team, take and share notes, keep track of recommended suggestions and follow up their implementation.
Essential: University degree in public health, epidemiology, medicine, or health sciences from an accredited/ recognized institute.
Desirable: Advanced university degree in infectious disease, public health, or health systems management.
Essential: Minimum 5 years of experience in HIV prevention, public health programme implementation or health systems strengthening for communicable disease programme implementation.
Experience working with community-based organizations or key populations in Malaysia or Southeast Asia.
Desirable:
Familiarity with PrEP service delivery models.
Experience with digital health tools, outreach coordination, or peer navigator models. Previous work with WHO, UN agencies, or national HIV programmes.
• Strong understanding of HIV prevention strategies and PrEP implementation.
• Diplomacy and successful experience of engaging community and health sector stakeholders.
• Familiarity with Malaysian health system, especially in East Malaysia context.
• Excellent coordination, communication, and reporting skills.
Excellent knowledge of English and local language Bahasa Malaysia.
Good IT skills, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Strong analytical and documentation skills.
The consultant will be based at MAC office in Kuala Lumpur with frequent travel to Sabah and Sarawak as needed.
The consultant is expected to undertake local travel to project implementation sites in East Malaysia. Expected to attend in-person meetings and engagement with MAC and WHO.
Remuneration : TBD
Expected duration of contract: 11 months, October 2025 to September 2026
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