Ida-Marie Ameda

I have provided technical leadership and cross-team coordination for malaria and NTD programming in UNICEF- across health, nutrition, WASH programmes, supply and social behaviour change from 2023 to date. I provide the following specific support:

• I conduct networking and resource mobilization for malaria and NTD programming.
• I lead the establishment and maintenance of strategic malaria and NTD partnerships with global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking, advocacy, and effective communication to build capacity, including with governments, UN agencies, non-governmental partners, and donors/bilateral partners.
• I prepare programme communication, including updates, reports and funding proposals to highlight malaria and NTD work.
• I provide technical advice and coordinate support to national governments, UNICEF regional and country offices on planning, implementation and monitoring for malaria, child health and NTD programmes.
• I collaborate with UN system partners, donors, NGO partners, and other partners/donors to implement policies, strategies, best practices and approaches on malaria and NTDs.
• I provide support to countries to find additional resources and provide technical assistance to improve malaria and NTDs programming and delivery – including in emergency/epidemic contexts.
• I lead and coordinate knowledge management and capacity building on malaria and NTDs in priority countries, and benchmark and implement best and cutting-edge practices in malaria, NTDs and health management information systems, including digital health.
• I provide oversight of NTD programmes and projects to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues.

I provided strong technical leadership and robust cross team collaboration for public health emergency preparedness and control within the eastern and southern African region. I lead and supported the following areas:

• Technical advice on preparedness and response to public health emergency and health services in humanitarian crises including routine and emergency immunization and other preventive and curative services in 21 countries.
• Led internal and external coordination on health services in humanitarian crises and public health emergencies including Ebola, Marburg, COVID-19 related response mechanisms – WHO/GOARN, IOM, UNHCR, and Africa CDC.
• Provided leadership and dedicated support for COVID-19 vaccine introduction and roll out in 19/21 ESA countries in collaboration with the Regional Immunization coordinator including technical guidance, planning, monitoring and resource mobilization.
• Led risk informed programming and resilience in the ESA region, resulting in the development of 7 country profiles and guidance.
• Conducted monitoring and analysis of risks and emerging events of public health concern including vaccine preventable and other infectious diseases.
• Provided on the ground support for outbreak preparedness and response including planning, monitoring, supportive supervision and review.
• Provided internal UNICEF support for IHR (2005) implementation including developing guidance for UNICEF country and regional offices, participation in JEEs, and simulation exercises, After action reviews, Intra-action reviews.
• Provided maternal neonatal tetanus elimination support for Ethiopia, Kenya and Angola including monitoring, pre-validation including data review and field missions.
• Developed UNICEF contextual guidance, norms and standards and tools including: early notification and response and cross sectoral preparedness and response to PHEs, ESARO risk assessment tool, ESARO cholera strategic framework (2017-2021), ESA Joint Interim guidance on continuity of essential health and nutrition services in the context of COVID-19. Support for monitoring in line with international guidance (CCCs, Sphere, IHR 2005, other WHO guidance)
• Conducted capacity building with focus on PHE and MNH in emergencies through a toolkit development and roll out
• Established consultancy and national staff rosters for public health and humanitarian emergencies
• Led operational research on PHEs including: (i) cholera hotspot mapping in 13 ESA countries critical for informing national cholera elimination planning and sustained comprehensive preparedness and response including through OCV. (ii) Risk analysis in 7 high burden ESA countries, useful for preparedness and response to VPDs and other crises (iii) Analysis of disruptions in primary health care focusing on routine immunization in 6 ESA countries (iv) Stock taking on lessons learned from EVD preparedness and response in priority ESA countries (vi) Social science evidence generation in collaboration with UNICEF social and behaviour change, IDS and Anthrologica (vii) Documentation of UNICEF supported MHNTs and strategic outreach service mechanisms in Somali region, Ethiopia

I served as COVID-19 vaccine delivery partnership (CoVDP) country engagement desk officer/focal point where I provided keen operational and programmatic insights into vaccine delivery as part of the scale up of COVID-19 response in 5 (five) priority countries. I specifically did the following for the partnership:

• I coordinated engagement with in-country COVID-19 vaccination partners and country support team at global and regional levels to accelerate delivery of COVID-19 vaccines and achieve national vaccination coverage targets.
• I onboarded all focus countries, mapping in-country partners and identify lead focal point(s) and prepared and facilitated country deep dives.
• I prepared, facilitated and led documentation of country successes, bottlenecks and challenges and facilitate problem solving and resource mobilization with CoVDP and partners.
• I integrated external partners (e.g., USAID Global vaccination (VAX), Africa CDC, World Bank etc) into the concerted country support calls and engagements for a holistic and coordinated support to priority countries.
• I participated in various in-country coordination fora on immunization and COVID-19 response to ensure appropriate linkages across teams.
• I coordinated learning exchanges with other priority countries.
• I coordinated with country teams to ensure the development / update of a One Plan (country-owned vaccination plan shared across partners) and One Budget (country-owned budget plan with a consolidated view of funding areas and fundraising target) which form the blueprint for COVID-19 vaccination work and funding.
• I facilitated technical assistance for costing and development of the one budget as needed in priority countries.
• I managed new funding processes, including ensuring that urgent funding requests were promptly reviewed and addressed.
• I led the planning and implementation of high level missions to focus countries, working with in-country teams to plan and execute them for optimal impact.
• I developed speeches, talking points, country profiles and presentations for high-level engagements, mission debrief slide deck and aide memoire and tracked mission follow up.

I served as a WHO consultant for Health Information and Risk Assessment. The following are my key outputs for this consultancy:

• Lead writer for the WHE Department report on health emergencies in the WHO African Region 2016.
• I developed the Progress report to the Regional Committee 67th meeting on implementation of the WHE programme.
• I contributed to the strategy for WHO/Health information and risk assessment programme area including key performance indicators.
• I supported risk assessments for countries experiencing health and humanitarian crises in the region.
• I led the development of tools including the country outbreak checklist and risk assessment tools.
• I participated in bi-weekly emergency operations meetings, supporting different country operations during the period of the consultancy.

As a surge staff, i was deployed to Ethiopia to respond to a complex emergency - cholera and measles outbreaks, conflict and drought. Below are specific areas of support that i provided:

• Field support for outbreak response and monitoring of acute watery diarrhoea/cholera and other epidemic prone diseases.
• Contributed to the development/review of technical guidelines, tools for outbreak response and training for staff/field responders.
• Led the development of strategic notes on health emergencies, weekly situation reports and health cluster updates, including updates for inter cluster use.
• I provided health cluster coordination support and collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Regional Health Bureaus, liaison with other UN agencies, NGOs to facilitate timely and responsive support to emerging threats.
• supported outbreak preparedness and response including planning, monitoring, field support and supervision.
• Led the establishment of databases for: (i) notification, tracking, verification and reporting of rumours on health emergencies (ii) population movement and dynamics related to transmission risk for PHEs (iii) Epidemic prone diseases including AWD/cholera, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever.
• I developed proposals and programme documents including the humanitarian needs overview, inter-cluster/inter-agency emergency response plans, various project proposals, donor briefs and reports for the Health Securities and Emergencies unit

I was a USAID implementing partner consultant recruited to conduct the Uganda Country Landscape Analysis for Community Health systems. I specifically did the following:

• Led the development of the updated Uganda Country Landscape, using the provided online assessment tool, based on the existing community health system in Uganda.
• The analysis displayed the major national-level programmes and other essential programmes that supplement and/or support the community health system. I contacted Ministry of Health, WHO and other partners to complete the task and verify the guidance documents.

I was recruited by WHO as a consultant to support for roll out of Expanded Special Programme for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Disease Programme. The following are key outputs:

• I finalized key project documents such as the Framework for Expanded Special Programme on Elimination of Neglected tropical diseases (ESPEN); ESPEN plan of action for 2016; Call to fund ESPEN and Call to Fund the transition plan of action.
• I supported the development of the ESPEN Fiduciary fund note that was used for its creation as a basket fund for NTD elimination.
• I supported the finalization of the terms of reference of the ESPEN transition steering committee, supported the nomination of members of the committee, and developed plans for the first committee meeting and the official ESPEN launch.
• I developed the advocacy and resource mobilization strategy and plan for ESPEN.
• I developed information products for ESPEN including frequently asked questions, report formats, website, finalization of donor reports, speeches/talking points and official briefing notes.
• I supported the development of the NTD experts roster; call for expression of interest and application.

This consultancy with USAID implementing partner - Strengthening Decentralization for Sustainability. This work covered three main areas: verification of the status of health workers; support for implementation of induction workshops and project implementation review. The following is a summary of key outputs:

• I obtained relevant personal and professional information of health workers to facilitate smooth transitioning of the PEPFAR supported health workers to SDS Human Resources for Health grantees and contractors in 15 districts of Northern Uganda, previously supported by Northern Uganda Health Integration for enhanced services (NU-HITES).
• I verified the performance management status of health workers in the 15 Northern Uganda SDS/USAID supported districts.
• I developed materials for the induction workshops for newly transitioned health workers and leadership and management trainings for Faith Based Organisations.
• I identified and documented key issues that emerged from both verification exercise and the induction workshops that are bound to affect the successful implementation of the HRH Initiative and make recommendations to address them.
• I documented the workshop proceedings and discussions aimed at determining action-oriented priorities/interventions.
• I prepared and submitted a detailed synthesis report for the verification and induction tasks.
• I conducted a review of the SDS HRH project from inception to May 2015 and submitted a comprehensive HRH programme progress report.

I was recruited by WHO as a consultant technical writer for the Neglected Tropical Diseases programme. I developed the following two outputs:

• The progress report on Preventive Chemotherapy for WHO African Region for the period 2011-2014
• Established a repository with reports and other documents for the NTD programme for WHO African Region

I worked with a WHO surge team in South Sudan for the response to a complex emergency. i provided the following specific support:

• Strategic planning of health promotion activities for disease control
• Development of country office and cluster health information reports and publications
• Development of proposals, donor reports, and briefings (Representative/Minister etc)
• Development of an approach and training and reference materials for cholera and Ebola Virus Disease community surveillance volunteers and social mobilizers
• Development of various protocols for PHE response
• Set up and follow up of alert and tracking mechanism
• Coordination of cholera taskforce and its working groups;
• Health cluster documentation (bulletins, surveillance updates, response plans) and field monitoring of various emergency response intervention (WHO and cluster partners).

• Worked with the responsible RH focal person and 2 national consultants to ensure that the states adhere to the signed memorandum of understanding on Village Midwives training.
• Provided technical assistance in the preparation of a monitoring and follow-up plan and monitoring the implementation of the training plans, the activity schedules, and stocks of VMW kits both for training and for VMW to take home after training.
• Contributed to the review and finalization of training plans and job aides for VMWs
• Monitored the quality of the training in collaboration with JICA, ensuring that the schedule is followed; suitable job aids are used and return demonstrations are undertaken by VMWs
• Compiled all training progress reports from the states into one comprehensive project document in collaboration with the national consultants
• Undertook spot checks field visits to monitor the VMWs in-service training interventions in the respective states
• Identified and documented best practices and lessons learnt from the VMWs in-service training implementation in each state

• Reviewed and finalized various strategic documents and key publications for the programme for neglected tropical diseases

• Developed a literature review of Health and the Humanitarian context in West Africa in 2011
• Produced a report on Disaster Prevention and Response in the Sahel Region, 2011
• Produced a report on Outbreaks and Disasters in the Sahel Region, 2011

• Lead health consultant for the public sector HRH project funded by USAID/SDS Uganda Programme
• Conducted an in-depth review of various platforms and developed a reporting platform for newly recruited health workers
• Adapted and developed a performance appraisal system for health workers
• Mapped partners engaged in the HRH activity, defining the roles and responsibilities of each partner and how they related to SDS.
• Supported SDS in planning and organizing a stakeholders meeting and made recommendations on engagement of outsourced HR/Payroll firm
• Developed a partners coordination mechanism and mapped partners by comparative advantage and roles/responsibilities
• Developed a monitoring and evaluation framework for the HRH project
• Developed the implementation plan for the HRH project in Private Not-for-Profit health facilities
• Developed the overall implementation plan for HRH project in public and Private not-for-profit health facilities
• Drafted and shared a concept note on the MOH approach and requirements for renovation of priority facilities

• Produced a literature review of the Humanitarian context in Africa in 2011
• Compiled the reports of the three ISTs (Central, West, Eastern and Southern Africa) and produced a final report on Disaster Prevention and Response in the WHO African Region, 2011

• Developed an NTD e-collaboration platform to enhance coordination between WHO Regional NTD programme, country programmes and partners.
• Established an e-mass communication system developed to enhance information sharing among NTD partners
• Developed and circulated E-news products and external facing products (NTDs in the News and NTDs Research and Policy bulletins, concepts for revamping the webpage)
• Reviewed and finalized key NTD documents
• Supported development of the ‘Guide to Coordination of NTD Programmes at Country level’ and updating of the ‘Regional NTD Coordination Mechanism document’
• Coordination and contribution to technical planning of periodic AFRO NTD Technical Advisory Group Meetings
• Coordinated technical and administrative arrangements for the NTD stakeholders’ and programme managers’ meetings in Accra, Ghana, June 2012.
• Drafted and finalised the ‘Accra Call to Action’ with inputs from NTD partners

I served as a Technical officer - Health Emergencies for WHO Zimbabwe during which i did the following:

• Ensured that there was enhanced ability for emergency preparedness and response; gathered operational data, collated and disseminated and assisted in facilitation of effective interagency communication and partnerships and support health promotion activities.
• Coordinated the revision and roll out of technical public health guidelines including Zimbabwe Integrated Disease Surveillance & Response (IDSR) technical guidelines, the Zimbabwe National Cholera Control Guidelines, Typhoid Management Guidelines, the National Health promotion policy, the health and hygiene training curricula, the village health worker training manual among others.
• Coordinated the development of curricula for training rapid response teams and case management of cholera and the training of rapid response teams and case management teams in 28 cholera affected districts of Zimbabwe.
• Coordinated and/or supported field monitoring, supervision and assessment visits.
• Supported coordination of the cholera command and control centre (C4) activities, health cluster, health-WASH joint cluster forum and other coordination meetings/mechanisms as needed and supported the follow up of meeting actions/deliberations
• Supported the real time evaluation of the health cluster response to the cholera outbreak.
• Supported fundraising and resource mobilization through the CERF, CAP and other donor appeals and supported/led donor reporting and project management under the various grants.
• Coordinated health cluster working groups and represented the health cluster at inter cluster working groups.
• Supported production and dissemination of research, reports and newsletters, and information sharing.
• Supported community health promotion training programs for cholera and measles control as well as the village health worker programme.

I provided public health information support for WHO in Northern Uganda. This included the following:

• Orientation on the health cluster and support for its roll out in response to the northern Uganda crisis. Uganda was one of the three first countries to introduce and roll out of the health cluster as part of global reforms.
• I designed and managed health cluster knowledge management resources
• I coordinated health promotion interventions for disease prevention and control
• I supported resource mobilization, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of program activities with the suboffice and field teams in response to the northern Uganda crisis.
• I led the development of action plans, advocacy, documentation and dissemination of programme activities and reports to partners and donors.
• I worked with other team mates to support field research coordination