Consultant – Global Financing Mechanism (s) Applicable for NCD Service Delivery in Humanitarian Settings

Background NCDs account for 70% of deaths globally and more than three-quarters of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. In addition to being disproportionally affected by NCDs, these countries are often those most impacted by humanitarian crises. There have been important advancements in the sense that humanitarian actors and governments are progressively increasing their response to the needs of people living with NCDs. However, the lack of an adequate financing architecture remains a huge challenge. The consequences of this are exacerbated by short funding cycles as well as the general underfunding of national health budgets, within which NCD prevention, diagnostic and treatment are underfunded relative to the number of people impacted. This is complicated further by the lack of an adequate NCD service delivery model, which ensures a continuum of care, and by the fact that people living in humanitarian settings cannot afford to pay for what is often life-long and high-priced NCD management.

Within the framework of its international strategy, the Danish Red Cross aims to engage in broad alliances and partnerships to explore new ways to increase investments in the prevention and care of NCDs in humanitarian settings. Over the years DRC has developed strong expertise, engagement, and partnerships within NCDs prevention and care, with a particular focus on humanitarian and fragile settings. DRC aims to bring these experiences to scale and explore how the DRC can facilitate, support or take the lead on ensuring further global investments in NCDs management with the aim of substantially increasing access to NCD prevention, treatment, care and support for people affected by crisis situations and other vulnerabilities.

One of DRC’s key partners in the area of NCD management is the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), with which DRC has a partnership framework agreement. During the annual partnership talks it was agreed to look further into the financing architecture for NCDs in humanitarian settings and explore the potential to mobilize a broad financing initiative for NCDs, inspired by successful global initiatives and financing mechanisms and models such as ‘Education cannot wait’.

Purpose In light of the above, and as a first step, DRC will initiate an assessment to:

• Identify how existing models along the NCD continuum of prevention and care in humanitarian setting have been coupled with financing mechanisms.
• Map a variety of relevant existing financing mechanisms and how they work. This includes global initiatives and financial mechanisms such as ‘Education cannot wait’ and others, as well as global financing mechanisms for NCD management.
• Assess the transferability of these mechanisms and what needs to be adjusted or developed in order for these to be applicable for NCD prevention and care in humanitarian settings.
• Inclusion of NCD management into the universal health coverage ambitions, with inclusion of all people, should be assessed.

As part of the assessment, we will test the fundamental assumption that there is a potential to mobilize new financing sources, partners and investors, who would be willing to invest in NCD prevention and management in fragile settings: there is an opportunity.

The outcome will be:

• A mapping of existing financing mechanisms for NCDs globally, as well as specifically in humanitarian and fragile settings.
• Recommendations on potential funding mechanisms for NCD prevention and care as part of universal health care coverage.
• A feasibility assessment and stakeholder landscaping on the potential to mobilize a global financing initiative for NCDs.
• Findings and recommendations for next steps.

Tasks Preparation

• Meet with the DRC reference group and ICRC focal point to further qualify the ToRs.
• Present a reading list to the reference group to ensure comprehensiveness in the literature search (final work to be annexed to the report).
• Develop the methodology (including the identification of potential stakeholders to consult and criteria to assess the transferability, viability and sustainability of the potential financing mechanisms).

Map existing financing mechanisms for models and components of NCD prevention and care, including specifically in humanitarian settings, as well as key stakeholders of interest

• Identify alliances that have successfully raised global awareness on health/ societal issues and succeed in designing financial mechanisms to address these issues (set-ups, structures, what has made it a success/not a success, enabling factors – stakeholder mapping to be annexed to the final report).
• Map existing funding mechanisms for NCD management in general, as well as specifically in humanitarian settings (key actors and institutions investing in NCD management, government funding, channels of funding, etc.).
• Identify ongoing initiatives aiming to develop sustainable business/financing models for financing NCDs management globally, as well as in humanitarian and fragile settings, and key stakeholders of interest in this field.
• Validate niches for further exploration.

Assess transferability and what needs to be adjusted or developed

• Select and elaborate on the potential transferability of existing financial mechanisms identified, assessing strengths, weaknesses, enablers and viability for humanitarian settings.
• Should the above prove as insufficient leads, draw on learnings to outline key characteristics, obstacles and requirements of a potential new financing mechanism to cater to the specificities of humanitarian settings, as well as a corresponding potential partnership model that could be of interest.

Timeline and budget

The work is expected to start September 15th, with a deadline of November 15th.

30 days across a period of 2 months.

Moreover, there will be a budget to cover miscellaneous costs such as for meetings and workshops.

Deliverables

• A mapping report on existing funding mechanisms for NCDs globally, as well as specifically in humanitarian and fragile settings (15 pages max excluding annexes).
• Recommendations regarding potential funding mechanisms for NCD prevention and care including a feasibility assessment on the potential to mobilize a global financing initiative for NCD management containing findings and recommendations for next steps. Format: This can be a brief report (maximum 6 pages excluding annexes) or a slide deck highlighting different options, their pros and cons, as well as recommendations.
• A presentation to the Reference Group and ICRC focal point of the preliminary findings.
• A presentation to the representatives of DRC’s International Management team for further discussion among the team and ICRC management representative.

A DRC reference group will manage and support the assessment. The group will be comprised of DRC competencies within strategy, business development, innovative finance, partnerships, and health. The DRC reference group will support the process, as required. The group will be responsible for liaising with the ICRC focal point.

Profile of Consultant

• Experienced analyst with documented experience in conducting feasibility studies within the health and financing sector
• Excellent understanding of health financing models and systems
• Excellent understanding of global actors within health and related areas
• Strong understanding of health systems in humanitarian settings
• Ability to communicate in a clear and concise manner (verbal and written communication)
• Ability to meet deadlines