REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST TO FINALIZE DRAFT MESSAGES OF HOPE GUIDE FOR RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO HELP PLHIV RETAIN AND ADHERE TO ART IN ETHIOPIA
Title of the Assignment: Consultancy for the development of messages of hope guide for Religious Leaders to help PLHIV in Ethiopia adhere to treatment and retain to care.
Brief Description of the Assignment:
The Consultancy is designed to develop two (2) separate message guides for Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia/IRCE/ to help religious leaders guide PLHIVs adhere to treatment and retain to care. The two guides should be designed to provide clear and hope messages to believers of Christianity and Muslim followers.
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE CONSULTANCY
Background and Justification
Persons living with HIV on ART face traditional barriers to care in Ethiopia. Such barriers include secular norms and beliefs, distance to reach care sites, childcare and food costs, stigma and discrimination, status of women in making decisions around health seeking, queues and overcrowding in many ART sites. Once individuals are diagnosed with HIV and initiated on ART, they largely remain compliant to their physician’s advice and can overcome traditional barriers. However, there is a subpopulation of individuals living with HIV on ART who discontinue treatment as a result of religious beliefs thereby increasing the likelihood of a suboptimal health outcome for themselves and their family members.
FBOs have a unique relationship to their communities and a deep understanding of their local cultures and practices that affect health care utilization and health seeking behavior. There are complex issues and debates at the intersection of faith, public health, and policy making, noting some areas of controversy. However proactive partnerships to mobilize FBO actors and capacity building to improve documentation and research is required to understand how best to implement advocacy, communication and social mobilization/ACSM/.
There is basic information available about individuals who discontinue and are traced following their missed appointments. Many express societal pressure to conform to religious beliefs such as reliance on Holy water and other forms of spiritual therapy. Although this is observed in both Christian and Muslim populations, there appears to be a preponderance of default among specific church denominations as a result of their Minister’s advice, misconceptions, or misunderstanding.
The development of the messages of hope guide helps faith leaders understand the situation and actively counsel people living with HIV for retention and adherence to ART. It will also serve as a tool by the faith leaders to deliver basic information in reducing HIV/AIDS associated stigma.
The objective of this consultancy is therefore to strengthen the capacity of the faith communities to effectively communicate health messages to PLHIV community and other members of the congregations. The messages of hope shall also serve as a tool to enhance ART uptake and reduce stigma and discrimination and hence contribute in the reduction of HIV transmission.
Purpose of the Assignment
The IRCE – with support from PEPFAR through USAID – is requesting for consultancy services to develop two (2) separate guides, (for Christians and Muslims). The training manuals should be based on SBCC standards and best practices in HIV/AIDS messaging.
Key topics will include but not limited to:
Scope of work
The Consultant is required to:
Key Deliverables & Expected Outputs:
Timelines:
Profile of Consultant: