Deadline: 25-Jun-25
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has announced a call for proposals aimed at strengthening the quality of care for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health plus Nutrition and Malaria (RMNCH+NM) in primary health care (PHC) facilities across Kebbi and Sokoto States in Nigeria.
This initiative emphasizes not only the accessibility and affordability of healthcare services but also a strong focus on improving their quality. The concept recognizes that better health outcomes for women, children, and newborns can only be achieved when care is both comprehensive and of high standard.
The approach to improving RMNCH+NM quality of care includes strengthening health systems by ensuring well-trained and motivated health workers, adequate infrastructure, and supportive policy environments. Active community involvement in planning, monitoring, and decision-making processes is also crucial, as is increasing public awareness through health education.
Furthermore, the program highlights the importance of continuous learning and knowledge-sharing to document and disseminate best practices, as well as robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to identify gaps and improve service delivery.
The overall objective of the program is to enhance the quality of obstetric and newborn care services in targeted health centers and hospitals, with a specific focus on the care of small and sick newborns.
Key goals include identifying existing gaps in service delivery and implementing vetted strategies to address them, ongoing monitoring of quality improvement (QI) mechanisms, capacity building for healthcare providers, and the establishment of centers of excellence in maternal, newborn, and adolescent care. The provision of community-based maternal and newborn care services is also central to this initiative.
The program targets specific health sectors, including adolescent health with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, maternal and newborn care—particularly emergency obstetric services—and broader health systems strengthening.
A key outcome of the program is to reinforce the competencies of healthcare providers working in Specialized Newborn Care Units, labor wards, and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) units across selected secondary and tertiary hospitals.
This will be achieved through on-site skills and simulation sessions using low-dose, high-frequency coaching and mentoring models. Similar efforts will be extended to PHC-level providers engaged in antenatal/postnatal care, labor, family planning, and newborn stabilization.
The program also seeks to implement cost-effective, simulation-based training systems and to build linkages between different levels of health facilities and professional networks through a pool of mentors and trainers.
A strong focus will be placed on quality improvement processes such as Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR), and on scaling up effective practices like KMC, Helping Babies Breathe (HBB), temperature monitoring, and intrapartum monitoring innovations including the Labor Care Guide and Safer Births Bundle.
Community engagement will be promoted through a human-centered design approach to better understand care-seeking behaviors and co-create local solutions for improved access to RMNCH and family planning services. Learning and best practices will be systematically documented and shared to support replication and scale-up.
Deliverables expected from the program include quarterly supportive supervision reports submitted to UNICEF, regular mentorship for nurses and health workers in labor and neonatal units, and monthly data collection and feedback mechanisms. Additionally, quarterly joint supervision visits will be carried out with national-level stakeholders.
These will be followed by the development of Quality of Care (QoC) assessments and improvement plans for district hospitals and Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) centers.
Each Quality Improvement Team (QIT) is expected to conduct monthly meetings throughout the implementation period, with thorough documentation of QI initiatives. Community Score Card activities will also be conducted, monitored, and reported on a quarterly basis.
In terms of selection criteria, UNICEF will prioritize proposals with cost-effective plans that include direct and administrative costs necessary for successful implementation. Preference will be given to organizations with local experience, strong relationships with the Ministry of Health in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara States, and a demonstrated commitment to localization.
Eligible applicants include international NGOs with experience in Nigeria, national or local NGOs, and civil society organizations. Previous work with UNICEF or other international donors, along with an understanding of partnership and financial procedures, is considered an advantage. Technical expertise in relevant health and nutrition sectors and effective coordination mechanisms with government departments are also essential.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.