Introduction
Current livestock disease challenges need to be addressed in a holistic way for improved impacts, including reduced threats to public health, food safety and food security and to support livestock production as an important part of natural resources management in the eastern Africa region, as well as ensuring the sanitary safety of the domestic and export trade in livestock and livestock products. Within the context of globalization and international/regional trade, the prevention and control of high impact diseases; transboundary animal diseases (TADs), other Zoonoses and emerging and re-emerging diseases remain a key regional priority.
In order to support decision making for disease prevention and response, there is a need for timely and good-quality information about diseases. In addition, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches are required for the design of surveillance programmes and the analysis of surveillance results, taking into account disease drivers and pathogen characteristics. Existing epidemiology and laboratory networks at national, regional and global levels play important roles in gathering quality disease data and providing sound epidemiological interpretations for appropriate action.
Since 2008, FAO has organized annual meetings for Eastern Africa regional networks of epidemio-surveillance (EAREN) and laboratory diagnostics (EARLN); and joint annual meetings for the two regional networks since 2010 During the 3rd joint EAREN and EARLN meeting held in July 2012 in Mombasa, Kenya, country representatives agreed on the need to consolidate the regional epidemio-surveillance and laboratory diagnostics networks under a single sector-wide umbrella, for which the Eastern Africa Regional Animal Health Network (EA-RAHN), including the Chief Veterinary Officers’ (CVOs’) and Quarantines’ networks was established. The re-structuring aimed to increase the participation of the CVOs in coordination of the regional networks and country ownership. The EA-RAHN provides a framework and platform for the development of stronger collaboration between the countries of the region as well as with Regional Economic Communities (RECs) such as IGAD and EAC, regional and global networks and other technical partners, to strengthen national animal disease surveillance systems; share good practices and lessons in Animal health and receive updates on emerging issues, among others.
Members of the EA-RAHN, therefore, include the CVOs, Regional Quarantines and two focal points of EAREN and EARLN appointed by the countries i.e. Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Representatives from the Regional Wildlife Authorities, Ministries of Health, the two RECs, AU-IBAR, AU-PANVAC, ILRI, OIE, UN-FAO and other partners participate in this important regional network meeting.
During these meetings, the network participants share information, engage in dialogue and provide updates on important current regional issues and events. EA-RAHN is also an excellent scientific platform where regional livestock projects and relevant initiatives and topics of global public health concern are presented for discussion and recommendations by the networks.
EA-RAHN received both financial and technical support when AU-IBAR and ICPALD/IGAD jointly implemented the project entitled Improving surveillance of trade-sensitive animal diseases (STSD) in the IGAD Member States that was funded by EU from 2013 to 2018. FAO also provided support through the VET-GOV project. IGAD/ICPALD was mandated by the CVOs to coordinate EA-RAHN meetings; the platform’s secretariat was subsequently anchored in ICPALD. After the above projects phased out; the RAHN secretariat (IGAD/ICPALD, AUIBAR, FAO and OIE) work jointly to mobilize resources and organize the RAHN annual meetings.
The RAHN secretariat met on FEB 27, 2020 and recommended an independent review of the performance of the EARAHN against the objectives of the networks in order to identify opportunities for improving the performance and delivery of the network. This recommendation was reiterated during a virtual meeting of the RAHN secretariat held on August 14, 2020 with a request to AU-IBAR to provide financial support for a short-term consultancy. AU-IBAR thus seeks the services of a short-term consultant to undertake a detailed review of the performance of the EA-RAHN since its inception.
The Objectives of the Consultancy
- Review the RAHN ToR and Organogram of the network and sub-nets
- Review the RAHN performance since its inception in 2012 including the organization of 9 regional meetings to date, implementation of the meetings’ (CVOs; Epi; lab and quarantine networks and sub networks) recommendations and action plans and their impacts on the surveillance, diagnosis, control and coordination of related activities at both the national and regional levels. recommendations by,
- Consult member states and partners to identify RAHN strengths, key challenges and opportunities, and make recommendations to improve performance and delivery
- Present the review findings report; facilitate the 10th RAHN meeting with the Secretariat and produce the workshop report
- Prepare a draft proposal for resource mobilization for the RAHN
Deliverables
- Inception report /plan of the work
- Review report on the performance of the EA RAHN
- 10th RAHN meeting report
- Draft proposal for RAHN resource mobilization
Consultancy Duration
The consultancy will be for 30 days from the signing of the contract spread over a period three months.
Remuneration
The Remuneration will be a lump sum amount of USD 9,000$.
Qualifications of the Expert
Education
MSc degree from a recognized institution in Animal health, epidemiology or equivalent; having PhD an advantage
Work Experience
- At least 10 years’ experience and knowledge in Animal health;
- Strong working experience on animal disease surveillance and control;
- Working experience with the networks and in the IGAD region;
- Knowledge and experience of using participatory approaches;
- Strong analytical skills;
- Excellent communication skills and fluent in English.
How to apply:
Submission of Proposals
Technical and Financial Proposals should be sent in PDF files on or before 23 October 2020 to procurement@au-ibar.org with subject “short consultancy to review the status of the regional animal health network (RAHN) for Eastern Africa and propose solutions to improve the delivery of the network”.