AWEC is a non-political, non-profit, woman-headed national organization established in 1991 by a group of educated Afghan women in exile, who rallied together to address the lack of facilities for Afghan refugees in Islamabad and eventually Peshawar, in Pakistan. AWEC has always been involved in advocacy and awareness-raising for women and children’s rights while providing services to those who frequently fall through safety nets. In recent years, one of AWEC’s core activities has been to support women through mobilizing Afghans, from local communities to political elites, towards the goal of reducing and eventually eliminating violence against women.

Our vision in AWEC is “an inclusive and just society with sensitized and responsive public and private sector, where all women and children have access to opportunities to improve their quality of life in order to realize their full potential”.

AWEC has zero tolerance approach to the AWEC Code of Conduct including safeguarding, SH, and Fraud violations being committed by its staff, consultants, contractors, volunteers, interns, suppliers, vendors, sub-grantees/partners, implementing partners or any other associate.

AWEC is looking for a Consultant WASH Monitor (Healthcare Facilities) to conduct WASH Monitoring and Review Sessions in Healthcare Facilities of Hesarak, Nazian and Shinwari districts of Nangrahar province under a short-term consultancy assignment.

Background:

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services in healthcare facilities (HCFs) are critical for ensuring patient safety, reducing healthcare-associated infections, and preventing disease outbreaks. To strengthen the capacity of healthcare professionals, a comprehensive WASH training module has been developed, focusing on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices, Vector Management, Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD)/Cholera Prevention, and Healthcare Waste Management. This Consultant aims to conduct monitoring and review sessions in targeted HCFs to evaluate the implementation of WASH practices and provide technical guidance for improvement.

Objectives:

To assess the effectiveness of WASH training by monitoring implementation in healthcare settings.

To review the adherence of healthcare professionals to best practices in IPC, vector management, AWD/cholera prevention, and healthcare waste management.

To provide recommendations for improving WASH services and compliance with national and international guidelines.

To support the establishment of sustainable WASH monitoring systems in healthcare facilities.

Deliverables:

Inception report outlining the methodology and monitoring tools.

Field assessment reports for each visited HCF.

Final report with detailed findings, recommendations, and an action plan.

Presentation of key findings to stakeholders.

Assignment Breakdown:

1. Pre-Monitoring Preparations

• Review existing WASH guidelines and training materials.
• Develop a monitoring checklist aligned with the training module.
• Engage with healthcare staff and facility management to schedule review sessions.

2. On-Site Monitoring and Review Sessions

The consultant will visit targeted HCFs and conduct the following monitoring and review activities:

• Session 1: Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Practices
  • Assess hand hygiene compliance and techniques.
  • Observe the use and availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
  • Evaluate environmental cleaning and disinfection procedures.
  • Review protocols for managing blood and body fluid spills.
• Session 2: Vector Management
  • Identify common vectors and assess control strategies.
  • Inspect healthcare facility environments for vector breeding sites.
  • Evaluate the use of repellents, insecticides, and vector traps.
• Session 3: Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD)/Cholera Prevention
  • Assess water quality and sanitation measures in HCFs.
  • Review AWD/cholera case management and prevention strategies.
  • Evaluate healthcare worker engagement in community hygiene education.
• Session 4: Healthcare Waste Management
  • Examine waste segregation, collection, and storage procedures.
  • Assess the disposal methods, including incineration, autoclaving, and burial.
  • Verify compliance with local and international waste management regulations.

3. Collect Data on Morbidity and Mortality Rates: Collect baseline data on the rate of reduced morbidity and mortality among vulnerable groups, including women, girls, children under five, and persons with disabilities (PWD). This data should be gathered from healthcare facilities (HCFs) and district hospitals to serve as a baseline for comparison with future key performance indicators (KPIs) post-intervention (impact level).

4. Collect Data on Access to WASH Facilities: Document the percentage of women, girls, and PWD who have access to WASH facilities within the intervention zones (outcome level). Data collection methods should include community sampling, focus group discussions (FGDs), interviews, the Ministry of Public Health’s MIS (if available), and other relevant, reliable desk studies.

5. Collect Data on Adoption of Hygiene Practices: Measure the rate (%) of individuals reporting the adoption of good hygiene practices. While access to WASH facilities is important, tracking actual behavior change is equally critical.

6. Evaluate and Feedback

• To conduct quizzes and knowledge assessments with healthcare professionals.
• To collect feedback through structured interviews and group discussions.
• To identify gaps and provide on-the-spot coaching and recommendations.

7. Report and Follow-Up

• To prepare a comprehensive report on findings, key challenges, and recommendations.
• To develop an action plan for HCFs to improve WASH services.
• To propose follow-up training and periodic monitoring mechanisms.

Education and Experience:

A minimum of bachelor’s degree in public health, environmental health.

A minimum of 2 years experience in healthcare facility assessments and WASH training. Background in public health, environmental health and WASH is a an advantage.

Knowledge and Skills:

Strong knowledge of IPC, vector control, AWD/cholera prevention, and waste management.

Excellent report-writing and stakeholder engagement skills.

Interested and qualified applicants should submit below documents clearly indicating the announcement tile and vacancy number in the subject line:

• A technical proposal outlining your approach and methodology.
• A financial proposal detailing expected costs.
• CV (demonstrating relevant experience).

Application review:

Application review will be done on rolling basis upon receipt of the listed documents. Only the shortlisted applicants who have submitted all 3 requested documents will be contacted further.

For references and resources, you may look for:

• WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Healthcare
• CDC Infection Control Guidelines
• National healthcare waste management regulations
• International best practices in WASH for healthcare facilities