Background:

The FOCAC Beijing Action Plan (2019-2021) was adopted at the 2018 Beijing Summit, which called joint efforts from both sides for full implementation around the Eight Initiatives, including “China will continue to assist Africa to strengthen health systems and policies towards achievement of universal health coverage including strengthening primary healthcare, addressing gaps in health infrastructure and the workforce, building capacity for the production of essential medicines and exploring technology transfer on the basis of friendly consultation”.  

Medical care and public health are major concerns regarding social development cooperation in the Beijing Action Plan, including some flagship projects such as the Africa CDC Headquarters and China-Africa Friendship Hospitals, access to medicines and health commodities, carry out exchange and information cooperation on public health, as well as to implement cooperation programs to fight against HIV, TB, Malaria and Schistosomiasis and other diseases through enhanced bilateral and multilateral collaboration, sharing of best practices and support to identified priority program. 

However, colliding epidemics of HIV and COVID-19 have derailed progress towards HIV and Health targets, erasing decades of hard-won progress against the HIV epidemic, slowing down the improvements in health outcomes including maternal and child health. Substantive investments will be required to get back on track and keep the pace.  To overcome the effects of COVID-19, China and Africa have demonstrated solidarity and the importance of a multilateral and coordinated response.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed weak national health systems, the scarcity of skilled health workforce and essential medical supplies globally and in Africa. The continent which is heavily dependent on imports of medicines and health commodities has been facing challenges in ensuring access to healthcare is maintained. A recent UNAIDS-WHO modelling estimated that a six-month disruption to medical supplies could result in an additional 500 thousand AIDS-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa alone by the end of 2021. 

2021 is a great opportunity to leverage the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) which is expected be held in Dakar, Senegal in December this year to strengthen South-South cooperation and set an example of multilateralism, for a stronger community with a shared future towards ending the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring a post-recovery for accelerated development of Africa and China. 

Under the leadership of the National Health Commission, the International Health Exchange and Cooperation Centre (IHECC) is going to organize the Conference of Health Silk Road in August 2021. A High-level Dialogue on China-Africa Health Collaboration is proposed to be organized as a side event of the Conference to share an overview of the progress of China-Africa health collaboration in the past three years, in particular the implementation of the Beijing Action Plan; generate broader awareness of the new challenges paused caused by COVID-19 pandemic and foster multistakeholder collaboration, and call for united  actions to strengthen public health governance and systems, the response to infectious diseases including HIV by using innovative interventions, improve the accessibility and affordability of health products in post-COVID era. The outcome of the dialogue will contribute to the FOCAC Summit in December 2021.

Based on this High-level dialogue on China-Africa health collaboration, further report would be developed to strengthen universal health coverage and health preparedness to inform the preparation of the upcoming FOCAC Summit. The outcome documents will promote collaboration and partnership between key stakeholders of China-Africa to share knowledge and tools to reinforce the fight against COVID-19 and colliding epidemics of HIV.

Scope of work:

1.     Support the preparation and organization of the High-level dialogue on China-Africa health Collaboration to be organized by the National Health Commission in August 2021. It includes but not limited to:

·  Contact with suggested participants and speakers and provide necessary support;

·  Draft position paper and/or speech that will position HIV response and access to medicines and health commodities in the wider context of UHC;

·  Prepare agenda and proceedings and participate in drafting outcome document;

·  Take note of the meeting and generate meeting report.

2.     Coordinate with the UNAIDS AU liaison office to support implementation of project on access to medicine. It includes but is not limited to:

·  Support UNAIDS to co-organize on-line meetings on access to medicines and health commodities in collaboration with African collaboration partners;

·  Contact with suggested participants and speakers in China and provide necessary support;

·  Collect related information on promoting access to medicines and health commodities and contribute to the synthetic report led by UNAIDS AU Liaison office;

·  Contribute to the outcome documents generated from different meetings among key stake holders between Africa and China.

3.     Assisting in collecting, reviewing, analyzing, summarizing of information in related areas and disseminating them to national and international partners;

4.     Prepare draft version of meeting summaries, reports, or presentations for discussion;

5.     Communicating with implementation partners when necessary to follow up programmes;

6.     Supporting to organize relative events and activities, and preforming any other tasks, as required, to ensure efficient facilitation of UNAIDS work priorities.

Key Deliverables:

The following will be the expected deliverables:

·  Organize the High-level dialogue on China-Africa Health Collaboration;

·  Draft event Outcome Report generated from the Dialogue, along with proceedings and relative documents of the meetings for comments by AULO and UNAIDS;

·  Draft, revise and finalize outcome report;

·  Contribute to a peer review publication manuscript.

Expected Profile of the consultant

·  Have proven and demonstrable relevant experience of not less than eight-ten (8-10) years, including demonstrable experience in taking a lead role in evaluative health studies, policy analysis, strategic analysis and developing sound synthesis report.

·  A proven understanding of the HIV epidemic and response, and challenges and opportunities related to achieve the goal of ending AIDS as a public threat by 2030.

·  Being familiar with Africa PMPA/AMRH and the reality of access to health products and local production, and experience in health financing.

·  Excellent report writing skills in English.

·  Excellent communication skills with national and international collaboration partners.

Approach

The consultant(s) is/are expected to work directly with the UNAIDS offices at global, regional and country levels for technical and operational support required during the consultancy.

Time Frame and Submission

The consultancy period will be 1^st August – 31^st October, 2021.  All deliverables should be submitted in both soft and hard copies to the UNAIDS as agreed during the inception phase.

Indicative timeline:

Ownership and Disclosure of Data/Information:

All documents, project data and information obtained in connection with this assignment shall be treated confidential and shall not without the written approval of UNAIDS be made available to any third party. All the documents provided by UNAIDS, both soft and hard copies are to be returned to UNAIDS upon completion of the assignment. All documentation and reports written as, and as a result of this assignment or otherwise related to it shall remain the property of UNAIDS. No part of the package shall be reproduced except with the prior, expressed, and specific written permission of UNAIDS.

Application Deadline:

July 16, 2021

Application letter and CV sent to: China@unaids.org

Please check the following link for details:

http://hkb980dd.pic44.websiteonline.cn/upload/1-ToR_Consultantforhighleveldialogue.pdf