Consultant for Documentation of Interministerial Consultations and Understanding of Prison Health Services in Mizoram and Punjab, HIV/HEP/ST

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Duration

15 days

Cost

Rs 10,000 per day

Period of assignment

November–December 2026 / dates to be agreed with PATH

Background

Mizoram and Punjab face significant public health and social challenges related to substance use, including the need for coordinated prevention, harm reduction, treatment, rehabilitation, mental health and recovery support. Addressing these challenges requires effective coordination across government departments and sectors, as well as accessible and responsive health services for populations with specific health needs, including people in prisons.

PATH is supporting processes to strengthen multisectoral responses to substance use in both Mizoram and Punjab. As part of this work, PATH plans to convene interministerial or multisectoral consultations in the two states. These consultations will bring together relevant government departments and ministries, stakeholders responsible for supply, harm, and demand reduction, educational institutions, private healthcare practitioners, and other relevant stakeholders. The consultations will provide an opportunity to discuss implementation gaps, identify priorities, and agree on recommendations and follow-up actions.

In addition, an understanding of health services in prisons in Mizoram (Aizawl) and Punjab (Patiala) is proposed to understand the availability, accessibility, quality, and continuity of essential health services for people in prison. The consultant will examine general health services and relevant services for communicable diseases, mental health, and substance use disorders, as appropriate to the context and permissions granted by the relevant authorities.

PATH seeks to engage one consultant to document the consultations in both the states and conduct develop a report on the current status of health services for prison inmates in both the states. The consultant will work in close coordination with PATH’s designated State Coordinators/consultants and other relevant PATH team members and will report to the designated PATH focal point.

Scope of work for consultant

Documentation of consultation

- Review the agenda, objectives, background materials, participant lists, and relevant state-level plans or strategies ahead of each consultation.
- Coordinate with the respective PATH State Coordinators to understand the purpose and expected outputs of each consultation and identify sessions or discussions requiring detailed documentation.
- Attend and document the interministerial consultation in Mizoram and the corresponding consultation in Punjab.
- To generate high-quality documentation of the interministerial consultations in Mizoram and Punjab and assess prison health services in both states, identifying key gaps and providing practical recommendations to inform programme and policy action.
- To capture key discussions, stakeholder perspectives, implementation gaps, recommendations, decisions, and agreed follow-up actions.
- To assess the availability and delivery of health services in selected prisons in Mizoram and Punjab, subject to permissions and access granted by the relevant authorities.
- To identify service delivery, infrastructure, human resource, commodity, referral, coordination, and continuity-of-care gaps in prison health services.
- To develop state-specific findings and recommendations, alongside a consolidated analysis of common issues and opportunities across Mizoram and Punjab.
- Share draft consultation documentation with the respective PATH State Coordinators for review and incorporate consolidated feedback.

Understanding of Prison Health Services in Mizoram and Punjab

- Identify good practices, service delivery gaps, operational constraints, and opportunities to strengthen prison health services in each state.
- Ensure that all interactions and data collection are conducted respectfully, confidentially, and in accordance with prison rules, permissions, and applicable ethical and safeguarding requirements.