Background

Kenya’s commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is anchored in the constitutional “right to the highest attainable standard of health” and articulated through successive national health strategies and reforms aimed at ensuring equitable access to quality, affordable care for all.

The overarching aspiration for UHC is to ensure that everyone in Kenya can access essential, high- quality health services regardless of their socioeconomic status, thereby leaving no one behind. Primary Health Care (PHC) remains the cornerstone of this vision, providing the first level of contact between individuals and the health system and serving as a critical platform for delivering essential services across the life course.

The Kenya Primary Health Care Strategic Framework 2019–2024 and the Primary Care Networks (PCN) Guidelines 2021 have been central to advancing this agenda, supporting the reorganization of service delivery, strengthening community and primary-level systems, and improving referral linkages.

Alongside these, the Ministry of Health has rolled out various health reforms including digitization (digital health), health financing (social health insurance and facility improvement financing), the PHC Act, among others, to support the attainment of UHC. Notable achievements include the scale-up of well kitted and digitally enabled community health promoters, increased access to essential services delivered by PHC multidisciplinary teams, expansion of integrated service delivery models, and enhanced coordination across KEPH levels of care as part of broader health sector reforms.

Purpose of technical support consultancy

The aim of the technical support (consultancy) is to provide Ministry of Health of Kenya’s Directorate of Primary Health Care with timely and strategic assistance to conduct an end term review of the Kenya Primary Health Care Strategic Framework (KPHCSF 2019-2024). The aim is to evaluate progress towards achieving the established strategic directions and objectives outlined within the strategic framework. Key aspects of this assignment include the development of a sound methodology for the end-term review, desk review of existing relevant policies, strategies, guidelines and plans, field assessments and stakeholder consultations, pillar analysis, synthesizing lessons learned and the drafting of an ETR report.

The MOH envisages a comprehensive assessment of milestones, targets and key performance indicators outlined in the strategic framework using both primary and secondary data sources, with broad stakeholder participation through an appointed steering committee, a technical working group, and broader consultations at national and county levels. The review will reflect the accomplishments and insights gained during the implementation period, attuned to the dynamic operating environment of health landscape at both national and county levels with numerous ongoing public sector/ health reforms. This will require an experienced, highly committed, senior consultant with strong prior relevant experience in the review of implementation of government policies and strategies, particularly on PHC/UHC in Kenya or a similar context.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Support the development and implementation of a sound methodology for undertaking a credible end-term review of the Kenya PHC Strategic Framework 2019-2024 and accompanying PCN guideline 202These will be articulated though submission of an inception report detailing the approach to ETR, considering the need for efficient data collection, comprehensive assessment of achievements, participatory fieldwork with MOH leadership and county buy in, consultative process, and timely delivery of ETR report.
• Develop data collection tools, with a good mix of primary data collection (FGDs, KIIs and survey questionnaires) and secondary data abstraction (KHIS, eCHIS, LMIS, GIS mapping of PCNs etc.) to address ETR questions.
• Develop an ETR ethics submission package (protocol and tools).
• Lead training of data collectors and participate in field data collection and quality assurance of ETR datasets.
• Lead data management (including curation of datasets) and data analysis and drafting of ETR Report with involvement of key stakeholders.
• Prepare (and where possible deliver) summary presentations tailored to mapped audiences and synthesis of key lessons and recommendations for consideration by key stakeholders.
• Revise ETR report based on stakeholder feedback and prepare and submit final ETR report and accompanying underlying data in a format agreed with MOH and partners.
• Engage MOH, partners, COG and counties to ensure optimal and meaningful participation in the ETR process.
• Carry out additional tasks as instructed by the Director for Primary Health Care and his designates/delegated authority

Key Qualifications

• An advanced university degree in public health, biostatistics, public policy, epidemiology or other relevant fields is required.
• A minimum of ten years of progressive hands-on relevant work experience in the review/evaluation/assessment of national public health programs, health policies and strategic plans in Kenya or a similar context is required.
• Strong background and expertise in the evaluation of PHC strategies, policies or plans is desirable.
• Proven track record in similar collaborations with the Ministry of Health in Kenya.
• Experience in writing/drafting reviewing/evaluation reports.
• Proof of membership or affiliation with an evaluation society or engagement with health systems and policy research networks will be considered an asset.
• Experience and familiarity with statistical methods, mixed methods, or qualitative approaches and managing and processing data using online or digital platforms.
• Proven experience in effective stakeholder engagement and participatory approaches.
• Strong communicator with ability to present technical concepts clearly and articulately.
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili, both oral and written, is a requirement. Monthly progress reports with a clear plan for the following month.

• Support the development and implementation of a sound methodology for undertaking a credible end-term review of the Kenya PHC Strategic Framework 2019-2024 and accompanying PCN guideline 202These will be articulated though submission of an inception report detailing the approach to ETR, considering the need for efficient data collection, comprehensive assessment of achievements, participatory fieldwork with MOH leadership and county buy in, consultative process, and timely delivery of ETR report.
• Develop data collection tools, with a good mix of primary data collection (FGDs, KIIs and survey questionnaires) and secondary data abstraction (KHIS, eCHIS, LMIS, GIS mapping of PCNs etc.) to address ETR questions.
• Develop an ETR ethics submission package (protocol and tools).
• Lead training of data collectors and participate in field data collection and quality assurance of ETR datasets.
• Lead data management (including curation of datasets) and data analysis and drafting of ETR Report with involvement of key stakeholders.
• Prepare (and where possible deliver) summary presentations tailored to mapped audiences and synthesis of key lessons and recommendations for consideration by key stakeholders.
• Revise ETR report based on stakeholder feedback and prepare and submit final ETR report and accompanying underlying data in a format agreed with MOH and partners.
• Engage MOH, partners, COG and counties to ensure optimal and meaningful participation in the ETR process.
• Carry out additional tasks as instructed by the Director for Primary Health Care and his designates/delegated authority

• Strong background and expertise in the evaluation of PHC strategies, policies or plans is desirable.
• Proven track record in similar collaborations with the Ministry of Health in Kenya.
• Experience in writing/drafting reviewing/evaluation reports.
• Proof of membership or affiliation with an evaluation society or engagement with health systems and policy research networks will be considered an asset.
• Experience and familiarity with statistical methods, mixed methods, or qualitative approaches and managing and processing data using online or digital platforms.
• Proven experience in effective stakeholder engagement and participatory approaches.
• Strong communicator with ability to present technical concepts clearly and articulately.
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili, both oral and written, is a requirement.

• An advanced university degree in public health, biostatistics, public policy, epidemiology or other relevant fields is required.
• A minimum of ten years of progressive hands-on relevant work experience in the review/evaluation/assessment of national public health programs, health policies and strategic plans in Kenya or a similar context is required.