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Qualifications

 1.     Purpose of the Consultancy

The consultant is expected to work with the IHP team and IMST secretariat and all technical pillars in providing technical input to multi-disease outbreak and other mechanisms to strengthen the capacity of member states to better prepare, prevent and control disease outbreaks.

2.      Background:

In recent years, countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region have faced repeated outbreaks from emerging infectious diseases with the potential to cause a global health emergency.

The likelihood of the emergence and rapid transmission of high-threat pathogen diseases has increased considerably in the Region, as there are many countries affected directly or indirectly by acute, protracted humanitarian emergencies, which have led to an unusually high number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees living in overcrowded, overburdened spaces, with little or no access to basic health care services and environmental infrastructure. The other risk factors contributing to the emergence and rapid spread of epidemic diseases in the Region include rapid urbanization in the Region, climate change, weak surveillance and limited laboratory diagnostic capacity, and increased human–animal interaction.

Between 2022-2024, many disease outbreaks were confirmed and responded to in the region including mpox, cholera and other water-borne diseases, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, dengue fever, malaria, circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and others. These infectious diseases continue to pose major public health problems in the Region with high number of mortalities and morbidities and pose challenges for effective control. WHO/EMRO continued to provide technical, financial, and operational support to the countries affected by different disease outbreaks. The Regional Office established different incident management systems to better coordinate the response and support member states. Since early 2022, Multi-Disease Outbreak incident management has been operational with multiple technical pillars to support the member states while coordinating WHO’s regional support to the disease outbreaks.

Major challenges in prevention and control efforts for emerging and other epidemic-prone diseases in the Region include knowledge gaps on the risk factors for transmission  and disease epidemiology of a number emerging and epidemic-prone infections that are commonly prevalent in the Region, weakened or fragmented disease surveillance systems for early detection of health threats, limited laboratory diagnostic capacities owing to fragile health systems in crisis affected countries, insufficient investment on disease surveillance and response activities and the absence of a cohesive and inclusive country focused strategy for prevention, containment and control of emerging and epidemic-prone diseases.

Under the Infectious Hazard Preparedness (IHP) Unit, the consultant is required to support the readiness, preparedness, and response capacities to emerging infectious disease outbreaks, support the incident management structure, and documenting IHP work and impact of disease outbreaks on priority countries.

3.      Planned Timeline

Start date: 01/01/2025.

End date:  30/06/2025.

4.      Work to be performed:

Output 1: Analyze and document the readiness, preparedness, and response capacities to influenza and other emerging infectious diseases for priority countries.

·         Deliverable 1.1: Perform the analysis of influenza surveillance data and production of influenza/other respiratory viruses periodic bulletins/updates.

·         Deliverable 1.2:  Conduct analysis on the emerging infectious disease outbreaks, which may include but not limited to cholera readiness, preparedness, and response.

·         Deliverable 1.3: Document IHP’s ongoing efforts to assist member states in preventing and controlling disease outbreaks, which may include but not limited to support on outbreaks management-related regional meetings/events.

·         Deliverable 1.5. Support the development of manuscripts/scientific papers about disease outbreaks in the region in collaboration with different workstreams and submit to peer reviewed journals.

Output 2: Extend technical support to the secretariat of the Multi Disease IMST in the Region and other IMST for public health emergencies

·         Deliverable 2.1: Measure the implementation of and document the activities conducted by the IMST pillars, in the areas of trainings, tools/guidance development, and support missions.

·         Deliverable 2.2: Design web-stories, periodic progress reports on the activities, achievements and challenges the IMST faced in the response, in addition to its performance, in collaboration with all the counterparts involved.

   Output 3: Support priority countries to conduct and document capacity building activities to enhance readiness, preparedness, and response to infectious disease outbreaks:

·         Deliverable 3.1: support conduction of needs/capacity assessments for priority infectious diseases such as influenza, cholera, dengue fever and others

·         Deliverable 3.2: Develop and update training packages for emerging infectious diseases such as mpox and cholera.

·         Deliverable 3.3: Review and document lessons learned from nationally implemented outbreak management activities -such as OCV campaigns- and capacity development activities related to them.

 5. Specific requirements

– Qualifications required:

·         Essential: University degree in public health or health related sciences

·         Desirable: Master’s degree in public health or health related sciences

– Experience required:

·         Essential: At least two years of experience in public health including demonstrated experience working with multidisciplinary counterparts.

·         Desirable: Prior experience within the United Nations System and working with the international partners.

– Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

·         Excellent oral and written communication skills in English language

·         Organization and efficiency skills

·         Data handling and analysis skills

·         Interpersonal communication and collaboration skills

– Language requirements:

·         English expert level required, intermediate level of French or Arabic is desired.

7. Place of assignment:

·         Onsite for travel purpose only

Medical clearance : The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

Travel (If travel is involved, a medical certificate of fitness for work will be required.) All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance. Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

Additional Information section

·         This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

·         Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

·         Remuneration is in line with WHO consultant established rates

·         Successful candidates will be included in the roster for consideration for future contractual engagement via a consultancy, as they become available. Inclusion in the roster does not guarantee any future contractual relationship with WHO

·         A written test may be used as a form of screening.

·         If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

·         For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

·         WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

·         WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

·         Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.

·         WHO’s workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.

·         Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.

·         WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.

·         Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to apply on-line through Stellis. For assessment of your application, please ensure that:
(a) Your profile on Stellis is properly completed and updated;
(b) All required details regarding your qualifications, education and training are provided;
(c) Your experience records are entered with elaboration on tasks performed at the time.