Consultant - Regional Health Financing Strategy

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Qualifications

1.    Background

Countries in the WHO African Region continue to face challenges in mobilizing sufficient, sustainable, and equitable financing to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 
The disease burden remains disproportionately high: according to Africa-wide sources, the continent carries roughly 25 % of the global disease burden yet has only about 3 % of the global health workforce. Domestic financing for health remains low in many countries. Very few countries have consistently met or exceeded the 2001 Abuja Declaration of allocating at least 15 % of national budgets to health. Over 30 countries are still well below 10 %, with some allocating as little as 5–7 % of their national budget to health. Out-of-pocket payments remain high in many countries, and fiscal constraints continue to limit access to essential services. Official Development Assistance (ODA) has also declined sharply. A recent WHO report noted a 70 % decrease in ODA for health sector with the donors funding cuts announced in 2025 which have disrupted HIV prevention, treatment, community health systems, and other essential services.
Given these trends — weak domestic resource mobilization, shrinking external funding, and increasing fiscal constraints and building on regional commitments, including the Regional Committee resolution AFR/RC70/R3 on domestic resource mobilization and sustainable financing for health, the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) is developing a Regional Health Financing Strategy (RHFS). The strategy will guide Member States in strengthening health financing functions: revenue generation, pooling, and purchasing; to ensure equity, efficiency, and resilience. The Strategy will consolidate regional evidence, country experiences, and WHO guidance, drawing on ongoing technical work on fiscal space, health expenditure efficiency, and financial risk protection. It will be developed collaboratively with WHO technical experts and will also be presented at the 76th Regional Committee for Africa in August 2026.  
 

Purpose of the Consultancy

To serve as the lead consultant (“pen holder”) responsible for writing the Regional Health Financing Strategy. The consultant will consolidate existing evidence and analyses, facilitate internal and external brainstorming and design discussions with technical experts, and translate agreed policy directions into a coherent and actionable strategy. WHO staff will contribute through technical input, design sessions, and validation processes, while the consultant will undertake the main analytical and drafting work. 

Objectives

• Develop a comprehensive and evidence-based Regional Health Financing Strategy for Africa.
• Integrate feedback from WHO departments, divisions, and country offices through iterative consultations.
• Prepare supporting materials for Member States for consultations and submission to the Regional Committee.

2.    Deliverables

Tasks to be performed by consultant:
Phase 1: Inception and Framework Design 
Outputs: Review key documents, including global and regional strategies, national health financing strategies, and technical analyses. Develop an annotated outline and conceptual framework for the RHFS. Facilitate internal brainstorming sessions with WHO technical teams to refine the strategy structure and content. 
Deliverables: Inception report, Summary note of findings from document review and situational analysis.

Phase 2: Drafting of the Regional Health Financing Strategy 
Outputs: Perform the necessary analyses and prepare the full draft of the RHFS, ensuring alignment with WHO strategic priorities and regional evidence. Revise drafts based on inputs from internal WHO review mechanisms and member states' consultations. Support preparation of draft documents for the Regional Committee (RC). 
Deliverables: Draft regional strategy, draft RC documents  

Phase 3: Consultation and Finalization of the Regional Health Financing Strategy
Outputs: Support preparation of technical briefs and presentation materials for external consultations and the Regional Committee (RC). Revise drafts based on feedback from external review mechanisms and member states' consultations. Incorporate feedback from the regional committee. Finalize the RHFS and accompanying materials for publication. Prepare summary materials (executive summary, policy brief, presentation slides). 
Deliverables: Final RHFS document ready for publication; Final Presentation PowerPoint and policy brief.

Phase 4: Support development of the regional financial protection report 
Outputs: Support the writing of the Regional financial protection report based on the analysis to be performed by AFRO. Work closely with the AFRO and HQ team leading analysis of financial protection monitoring
Deliverables: Final regional report on financial protection monitoring ready for publication; Final Presentation PowerPoint and policy brief. 
 
Methodology 
Desk review of relevant global, regional, and national documents. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of existing data. Collaborative drafting with WHO AFRO technical teams. Iterative review through internal WHO consultations. Incorporation of feedback from external consultations coordinated by the WHO.

Deliverables Schedule 
Inception report and situational analysis report 
First draft of the strategy- 2 months' equivalent work    
Final strategy document, PowerPoint presentation and policy brief  
Final regional report on financial protection, PowerPoint presentation, and policy brief 

3.    Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Identify the educational qualifications and expertise needed for the terms of reference outlined above.

Educational Qualifications

1.    Education

Essential: Advanced degree in health economics, health financing and policy, public health, development economics, or a related field.

Desirable: Doctorate degree/qualification in health economics

2.    Experience

Essential 

Minimum of 10 years of experience in health financing, health policy development, or health system reform. Demonstrated experience drafting strategic frameworks or policy documents for international or regional bodies.
Experience in developing and testing methodologies in a country-specific context.,
Experience or sound understanding health economics and financing.

Desirable:

Experience in data analysis, capacity-building experience, and a track record of research and publications. Regional experience in the African context, excellent communication skills, and multilingual abilities is also desirable.

Skills/Knowledge

1.    Excellent analytical and writing skills. 
2.    Strong ability to synthesize technical content into policy guidance. 
3.    Proven facilitation and coordination skills for multi-stakeholder processes. 
4.    Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.

Languages and level required

Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English.
Knowledge of French is an advantage.
 

4.    Technical Supervision 

Under the overall supervision of the Health Financing and Governance (HFG) Unit Team Lead, the consultant will work in close collaboration with HSS colleagues and other clusters as necessary.
 

5.    Location

Off-site (Home based)

6.    Travel

The consultant is not expected to travel. 

7.     Remuneration

Band level B: USD 9,000 per month. Contract duration: three (3) months. 
 

8.    Additional Information:

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/ . Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and      will require individual review.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int .
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
• Consultants working in Switzerland must register with the applicable Swiss cantonal tax authorities and social security authorities, within the prescribed timeframes (Guidelines issued by the Swiss Mission are available at: https://www.eda.admin.ch/missions/mission-onu-geneve/en/home/manual-regime-privileges-and-immunities/introduction/Manuel-personnes-sans-privileges-et-immunites-carte-H/Non fonctionnaires et stagiaires.html