Deadline: 21-Jan-24
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced a request for proposals to identify a suitable contractor to develop research briefs on the feasibility of measuring unmet needs for healthcare and social care for each of the six WHO Regions.
One of WKC’s programmes of research is on the measurement of unmet need for health and social care with a focus on older people. In 2021-22, WKC carried out a global systematic review of unmet need as well as secondary analysis of existing survey data worldwide to estimate the prevalence of unmet need for health and social care among older people in over 80 countries. Findings from these studies have been published in peer-reviewed journal and have also contributed to the 2021 and 2023 WHO-World Bank Global Monitoring Reports on universal health coverage and financial protection.
These research findings also supported the inclusion of statements about the importance of measuring unmet need in both the 2023 World Health Assembly Resolution and in the Political Declaration of the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on UHC. Specifically, WHA 76.4 requests the WHO Director General to “review the importance and feasibility of using unmet need for healthcare services as an additional indicator to monitor UHC nationally and globally”.
In 2022-23, WKC supported the establishment of a global research consortium to coordinate global scientific efforts to improve methods for measuring unmet need, to fill data gaps particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and to produce policy guidance.
In light of these developments, it is timely for WKC to convene WHO Regional focal points and the global research consortium to 1) assess the feasibility of measuring unmet health and social care needs within and across regions; 2) understand regional and country perspectives on the practical value of data on unmet healthcare and social care; 3) identify region-specific and common needs for research and policy guidance, and 4) agree on research products that could feasibly be completed under the direction of WKC in collaboration with WHO Regions and external experts to inform policy development and contribute to future UHC Global Monitoring Reports and the 2027 UN High-Level Meeting on UHC. This meeting is planned for June 2024 (TBC). To inform the discussions of this meeting, research briefs will be prepared that provide evidence-based asessments of the feasibility of measuring unmet healthcare and social care needs in each of the WHO Regions.
Objective
- The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to enter into a contractual agreement with a successful bidder and select a suitable contractor to develop research briefs on the feasibility of measuring unmet needs for healthcare and social care for each of the six WHO Regions.
- WHO is an Organization that is dependent on the budgetary and extra-budgetary contributions it receives for the implementation of its activities. Bidders are, therefore, requested to propose the best and most cost-effective solution to meet WHO requirements, while ensuring a high level of service.
Place of Performance
- The work shall be performed remotely from the home base of the contractual partner. Travel will not be required for this work.
The selected contractor is expected to dedicate the following human resources to the project:
- A project manager with at least 5 years of experience managing an international research portfolio (please attach resume to your proposal) shall be dedicated to the project.
- The designated project manager that should be the same all along implementation, including consideration in contingency plans in case the focal point is absent.
- The principal investigator/research team is required to have sufficient capacity and knowledge to cover the following areas of expertise:
- Technical knowledge and skills to conduct a systematic review of forgone healthcare and unmet need for social care tailored to each WHO Region as evidenced by publication record of a systematic review on a related topic.
- Technical knowledge and skills to identify, access and process relevant national or cross-national population survey micro data as evidenced by publication record and work experience demonstrating access to and use of such datasets.
- Technical knowledge and skills to perform rigorous statistical analyses and produce valid and reliable estimates of forgone healthcare and unmet need for social care at national and regional levels as evidenced by publication record of statistical research/reports on related topics.
- Ability to contextualize the research methods, findings and research brief for each WHO Region as evidenced by publication record and work history related to the Region(s) of interest.
- Skills to write research briefs in a technically accurate, visually compelling and concise manner as evidenced by writing samples.
- WHO pays utmost attention to the level of qualification and experience of the individuals involved, and to continuity in the services. The profiles (no individual names required) of the personnel proposed for these services should be included in the technical proposal.
- All staff with full professional working proficiency/native or bilingual proficiency in English.
Key Requirements
- Output 1: Create an annotated outline of the research brief(s) which should include: 1) a systematic review of population-based estimates of levels of and reasons for unmet need for healthcare and social care pertaining to a country (or countries) in the region; 2) mapping of available data sources and survey questions that could be used for measuring unmet need for health and social care in the region; 3) estimates of prevalence and reasons for unmet need for healthcare and/or social care using secondary analysis of existing data for 2-3 illustrative countries in the region, including disaggregation by age and gender; 4) key challenges and opportunities for measuring unmet need for healthcare and social care in the region, including the feasibility of standardized data collection and disaggregated analysis (by age, gender, etc.). The annotations should indicate what data sources and methods will be used to inform each section.
- Output 2: Conduct a systematic review of population-based estimates of levels of and reasons for unmet need for healthcare and social care pertaining to a WHO Region and draft section 1 of the research brief. Parameters of the systematic review shall be discussed and agreed with WKC in advance.
- Output 3: Identify publicly available population-based data sources that could be used for measuring unmet need for healthcare and/or social care pertaining to a WHO Region in the last ten years and draft section 2 of the research brief. Templates for reporting the characteristics of the data sources (e.g. survey year, country(-ies), survey question design/wording, total sample size, age-disaggregated sample sizes, covariates, etc.) will be provided by WKC.
- Output 4: Conduct statistical analysis using best available data for 2-3 illustrative countries in the region (e.g. countries of varying income levels, population size, population ageing rate, etc.) and draft section 3 of the research brief. Data must be provided by the research team. Templates for reporting the results of the analysis (e.g. levels of unmet need by age group, by type of health service, by reason for forgone care, etc.) will be provided by WKC. In case the analysis cannot be performed due to lack of availability or accessibility of necessary data sources or for other reasons, this would need to be explained and reflected in the budget/payment accordingly.
- Output 5: Provide an overall narrative assessment of the feasibility of measuring unmet need for healthcare and social care for the region based on the research findings about the availability, comprehensiveness, and comparability of published data and data sources. This should include an assessment of the feasibility of disaggregated analysis of unmet need by key equity dimensions including age, gender, and rural/urban residence. Identify the key data gaps and measurement challenges as well as potential opportunities to utilize available data and improve these data in the region (e.g. possible harmonization of variables across different surveys or inclusion of standardized questions on unmet need in national surveys, etc.). Draft section 4 of the research brief.
- Output 6: Respond to peer-review comments provided by WKC and revise the draft. The peer-review will be coordinated by WKC.
- Output 7: Submit the final version of the brief which should be approximately 10-15 pages in length (5,000-7,500 words) (for each regional brief) with tables/figures as required by WKC. Data tables for figures, additional technical notes, and additional tables/figures not included in the research brief should be submitted as supplementary materials. The paper must be edited and formatted according to WHO house style. The WHO style guide will be provided by WKC.
For more information, visit WHO.
