Sri Lanka reports a remarkable progress in reducing feto-infant and child mortality. However, the loss of a baby in utero or after birth is a tragedy that can leave families, specifically the women feeling powerless and vulnerable. The feelings of shock, disbelief, confusion and guilt can be intolerable and may result in psychological and social consequences. Respectful and supportive bereavement care is essential to reduce such adverse psychosocial impact.
Managing and providing support for parents who experience a loss of baby can be challenging for healthcare professionals. Therefore, it is important to guide different categories of healthcare professionals in the delivery of care for bereaved parents specially the mothers need in local contexts and based on best evidence. Respectful and supportive bereavement care is one area which needs further improvement. There is a vacuum of specific instructions or guidelines on management of the mother and families after a fetal or infant death. Different hospitals and healthcare professionals adopt different modalities in caring for the grieving parents. Guidance on the disposal of the dead body is also vague. At hospital level, many of the members of the healthcare teams lack capacity and adequate knowledge on the subject.
As such, the Family Health Bureau (FHB) together with UNFPA is working to introduce a National Respectful and Supportive Bereavement Care Package after fetal and child deaths. With the inputs and contribution of different categories of healthcare workers related to fetal and child deaths at hospitals and field a draft guidance on the subject has been already prepared.
The consultancy aims at reviewing, revising as required and finalizing the National Respectful Bereavement Care Package working in consultation with the content contributors.
The consultant is expected to carry out the following activities during the period 15th May 2023 to 31st June 2023.
Tasks:
- Meetings and consultations with the Director (MCH), the National Program Manager (Child Morbidity & Mortality) of the Family Health Bureau and the UNFPA officials on the proposed activity.
- Scrutinize the relevant global literature, reference guidelines and national guidelines where applicable.
- Discuss and clarify with key contributors who were involved in drafting the different sections of the guideline and revise the guideline as required.
- Revised sections of the guideline where applicable of the format and flow of the guideline based on the feedback provided by the MCH TAC, FHB officials and UNFPA
- In concurrence with Family Health Bureau and UNFPA modify the content
- Prepare a final version of National Respectful and Supportive Bereavement Care Package after fetal and child deaths in professional English maintaining a unique technical language pattern compatible with Ministry of Health norms and standards and revise accordingly based on feedback from the FHB and UNFPA
- Conduct a presentation based on the package to relevant parties
Link to the application: Deadline for applications: Midnight (Sri Lanka time), Wednesday,10 May 2023