Consultancy for a Desktop Review on Capacity to Conduct Health Research Development and Innovation in Africa

Objectives of the Consultancy

The primary objective of this assignment is to conduct a desk review of Africa’s capacity to conduct end to end health research development and innovation focusing on academic institutions and research institutions with a gender lens in at least 6 African countries with equal representation from East, South and West Africa.

Specific Objectives

• Identify current gaps in HRD&I capacity across African Countries and propose strategies for addressing these challenges.
• Document the strengths and best practices that have enabled some African institutions to excel in HRD&I
• Highlight the importance of building capacity for HRD&I in Africa as a key driver for improving public health outcomes.
• Identify strategic investments that are essential for developing and sustaining HRD&I capacity, including infrastructure, human capital, and institutional support.
• Highlight opportunities for collaborations among the research institutions, academic institutions, and industry stakeholders to enhance technical capabilities and innovation potential.
• Examine the gender disparities in HRD&I capacity, particularly in leadership roles, research output, and access to funding, and propose strategies for gender equity in HRD&I across African countries.
• Develop a draft roadmap for HRD&I capacity building, focusing on attracting, absorbing, and retaining talent within the continent.

Deliverables

In line with the objectives outlined above, the consultant is expected to deliver the following by the end of the assignment:

• Submit a detailed and comprehensive report outlining the capacity for HRD&I across Africa.
• Provide a concise, summarized version of the detailed report.
• Pitch Deck: Create a persuasive pitch deck to be used in presentations advocating for HRD&I capacity development and partnership.
• Propose a roadmap to building the capacity of Africa to conduct HRD&I

Expected Timelines

The consultant will prepare a work-plan that will operationalize and direct the execution of the assignment – this can be included in the inception report. The assignment is expected to take no more than 1 month (with total consultancy number of days limited to 15 working days). The assignment schedule will be supervised by Amref Health Africa and the HRD&I coalition partners. The consultant should note that the reports will be subjected to reviews by stakeholders and will be deemed as final following their approvals.

Budget

The consultant is expected to share a detailed proposed budget (financial quotation) for the assignment while responding to the call (this will be one of the evaluation criteria for consideration).

Qualifications of the Consultant

The consultant should possess the following qualifications and experience:

Expertise and Experience:

• A minimum of eight (8) years of proven expertise and grounded experience in healthcare systems across Africa.
• Demonstrated excellence in understanding and working with Global Health Programmes and experience working in the HRD&I context
• Post-graduate degree in development economics, or a health-related field with experience in HRD&I.
• Evidence of strong experience in conducting Africa wide studies with bias to HRD&I
• Excellent English verbal and written communication is required
• The ideal consultant will have a comprehensive understanding of Africa’s capacity to conduct end to end HRD&I, along with a proven track record of collecting and analyzing secondary data.