National Consultancy : Design a Global, adaptable, and user-oriented costing and analytical tool to estimate the health and economic impact of reducing medically unindicated cesarean sections

About the role

Global attention and investment in midwifery are increasing as a strategy to achieve SDG‑3. The Midwifery Accelerator, launched in April 2025 by WHO, UNICEF and ICM, aims to scale up the Midwifery Model of Care. UNFPA has developed the “Investing in Midwifery Models of Care” handbook to guide national investment cases. Rising rates of medically unindicated obstetric interventions, especially cesarean sections, drive unnecessary health risks and costs. The consultancy will design a global, adaptable, user‑oriented costing and analytical tool to estimate the health and economic impact of reducing medically unindicated cesarean sections and selected obstetric interventions. The tool will be an annex to the Midwifery Investment Case Framework and will be piloted in Egypt in early 2027, with potential rollout to Turkey and the wider Arab States region.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a desk review of relevant resources.
• Design a global, adaptable tool to estimate unit and national costs of current intervention rates, including physician‑delivered care for medically indicated CS, unindicated CS, unindicated interventions, complication management, and potential national cost savings from intervention reduction.
• Quantify health impacts (maternal and neonatal deaths/DALYs averted, complications avoided) and the cost of inaction over time.
• Develop user‑oriented guidance on the application and implementation of the tool for inclusion as an annex to the Midwifery Investment Case Framework.
• Participate in stakeholder consultations and validation sessions to review and approve the designed tool.
• Attend all coordination meetings.
• Share the tool with an expert reference group facilitated by UNFPA Headquarters for review, feedback and validation.

Requirements

A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in health economics, health systems, maternal and newborn health, or midwifery workforce planning.

Qualifications

Advanced university degree in Health Economics, Public Health, or a related field.

Skills

• Strong skills in health costing and economic modeling.
• Demonstrated expertise in designing health economic modeling tools, developing investment cases or health financing strategies related to maternal health or the health workforce.
• Experience working with Ministries of Health and Finance in Egypt and other LMICs.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Arabic.

Pay

Lump‑sum payment: 30% upon successful submission and approval of the draft tool and draft guidance; 70% upon final approval of the designed tool and guidance. Payment is made after receiving a confirmation email from UNFPA Egypt CO.

Schedule

The consultancy is for a period of 3 months (end‑September to December 2026). It will commence on the day following the contract’s signature.