Purpose of the Post:
The life course programme exists to end preventable deaths and promote the survival, good health, and well-being throughout the life course of populations by ensuring universal access to quality, evidence-based, preventive, and life-saving interventions at all levels of the health care delivery system. Maintaining a multi-sectoral overview, the position will support and coordinate the country office’s interventions and activities in the life course (LC) programme area, ensuring the availability of technical expertise for guidance to the national authorities in the development and implementation of integrated programmes in one or more of the following life course areas: special programme on primary health care; health workforce; integrated health services; health systems governance and financing; sexual and reproductive health and research; maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and ageing.
Objectives of the Programme and of the Division:
The Special Initiative on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and Innovation (SNI) supports Member States in their work to free the WHO European Region from avoidable NCDs. SNI recognizes both the urgency for immediate action as well as the need for a visionary paradigm shift that puts NCDs higher on the political and health agendas for future generations. Therefore, SNI takes a dual-track approach, promoting accelerated progress toward the NCD-related SDG commitments for 2030 (RACE to the Finish) while simultaneously championing the key generational shifts required, to address NCDs within the permacrisis (Vision 2050), and achieve a sustainably healthier European Region. SNI’s commitment is to support Member States to achieve a healthier population and to close the gap in NCDs including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes that persist within countries and across the Region. SNI is also charged with fostering Innovation in Public Health across the whole of the work of WHO in the European Region (not just for NCDs). SNI promotes an approach to innovation that is forward thinking and agile, institutionalizing innovation and adjusting to meet the changing needs of a vast region facing demographic, societal and environmental shifts, emergencies, and rapid technological advances. The work under this area includes supporting an ecosystem of innovators in health, matching innovative solutions with stated public health needs in countries, and pushing the envelope in trending areas such as the application of artificial intelligence to public health.
The WHO country office works with the National Authorities to achieve the highest standard of health as a fundamental human right, based on equity and on SDGs principle of leaving no one behind. WHO actions are engrained in the WHO 13th General Programme of Work with its 3 prong objectives of promoting healthier populations, keeping the world safe through addressing health emergencies, and protecting the vulnerable through Universal Health Coverage. WHO’s mandate revolves around six core functions: (i) providing Global Health leadership; (ii) shaping the health research agenda; (iii) setting norms and standards; (iv) articulating evidence-based policy options; (v) providing technical support to countries; and (vi) monitoring and assessing health trends. The WHO Country Office is an integral part of the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Its main role is to facilitate and coordinate all WHO activities at country level and to implement the European Programme of Work 2020–2025 –“United Action for Better Health in Europe” which sets out a vision of how the WHO Regional Office for Europe can better support countries in meeting citizens’ expectations about health.
WHO at country level delivers this through practical, actionable and country focused solutions to health challenges, keeping in perspective that achieving health and well-being is a whole-of-society endeavour; This is done through facilitating the implementation of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement with the country and its corresponding workplan. The WHO Country Office maintains good working relations and ensures information exchange between the country and WHO, policy and strategic guidance on Health issues to all national and international partners in the country, provision of direct technical expertise when needed and aims at more community engagement and participation, and to promote health equity
Summary of Assigned Duties:
The life course programme exists to end preventable deaths and promote the survival, good health, and well-being throughout the life course of populations by ensuring universal access to quality, evidence-based, preventive, and life-saving interventions at all levels of the health care delivery system. Maintaining a multi-sectoral overview, the position will support and coordinate the country office’s interventions and activities in the life course (LC) programme area, ensuring the availability of technical expertise for guidance to the national authorities in the development and implementation of integrated programmes in one or more of the following life course areas: special programme on primary health care; health workforce; integrated health services; health systems governance and financing; sexual and reproductive health and research; maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and ageing.
Key duties:
The incumbent will perform all or part of the following, and other related responsibilities as required by the needs of the office.
Work under the direct supervision of the respective (Senior) Public Health Officer and/or the Head of the WHO country office.
– Co-ordinate and support the delivery of technical and managerial advice to the government and national stakeholders in the development and implementation of sustainable, multi-sectoral and integrated strategies, policies, work programmes and plans, promoting optimal outcomes in one, several, or all of the constituent areas of life course: i.e., special programme on primary health care; health workforce; integrated health services; health systems governance and financing; sexual and reproductive health and research; maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and ageing.
– Support the development and monitoring of work plans and budgets, and follow up on the implementation of planned activities, in consultation with national counterparts.
– Support the provision of technical advice, strategies, and policies for strengthening country capacity to implement, evaluate and monitor universal health coverage/life course programmes including financing of the systems.
– Technically support the monitoring of the national burden of life course diseases or factors especially through health information systems and health research activities.
– Technically support and coordinate the adaptation and implementation of evidence-based norms, standards, guidelines, and tools in the broad, life course, programme areas.
– Contribute to and coordinate the collection, analysis and documenting of best practices and partners experiences in life course programmes, promoting national and subnational perspectives.
– Serve as national resource concerning the multi-sectoral integration of programmes in life course and mainstreaming of cross-cutting themes, such as health equity and the elimination of exclusion.
– Contribute to the development or strengthening of strategic partnerships in, and mobilizing of resources for, life course activities and interventions. Support the national authorities in grant implementation and reporting.
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Coordinate the development of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials to foster community awareness and health practice in the life course area(s).
1) Teamwork
2) Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
3) Communication
4) Producing Results
5) Ensuring effective use of resources
Essential: Excellent knowledge of English and Latvian.
Desirable: Working knowledge of any other UN Languages.
Remuneration comprises an annual base salary starting at EUR 33,750.16 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable) and 30 days of annual leave.