As Viet Nam is facing rapid economic development, increasing non-communicable disease burden, and aging society, the changes in health needs call for changes in the health system, including strengthening an integrated service delivery system especially at the grassroots health care level. More specifically, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for nearly 80% of total mortality in Viet Nam. The majority of patients are neither diagnosed nor treated. One of the causes of this problem is that the NCDs management is hardly available at grassroots health care networks (District Health Centers and Commune Health Stations). Challenges in access to quality grassroots health care also exist for maternal and child health services and other essential health services, which contribute to inequities in health outcomes.

In 2017, the 12th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam adopted Resolution No. 20 on the protection, care and improvement of people’s health in the new situation. It set an ambitious that up to 95% of CHSs, by the year 2025, will implement prevention and management of some common NCDs (hypertension and diabetes). In 2023, the Central Party Secretariat also issued Directive No. 25 and National Assembly issued Resolution No. 99 on the strengthening of the grassroots health care system.

It is a top priority of the WHO Representative Office in Viet Nam to support the health sector in Viet Nam in building a strong grassroots health care system capable to meet the essentials need of all people, through their life course, especially in responding to NCDs, older populations, and improve the quality of care through an integrated, people-centered approach to deliver essential health services.

Under the guidance of the WHO Representative and the Coordinator, Universal Health Coverage and Disease Control Team, the UN Volunteer reports to and work together with the NCDs responsible officer(s), in a close working relationship with relevant professional and administrative staff in WHO Viet Nam and WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific to perform the following tasks;

• Support Universal Health Coverage-Disease Control (UHC-DC) team in reviewing policy and program documents on grassroots health care system and quality of care
• Support UHC-DC team in implementation of integrated service delivery models in selected provinces
• Assist NCDs responsible officer(s) to support the Ministry of Health in advocacy and revising/developing guidelines, protocols and regulations for NCD management at primary care.
• Assist NCDs responsible officer(s) to support the Ministry of Health in strengthening grass root health care network by building NCD management capacity at commune health station and Monitoring and Evaluating the intervention programmes focusing on integrated service delivery that NCD management included.
• Assist NCDs responsible officer(s) to support strengthening the Online NCD Reporting System including working with different stakeholders such as National Center for Health Information and Viet Nam Social Security.
• Assist MCH technical officer to support MOH and relevant partners in improving quality of maternal, newborn and child health care
• Provide assistance in nutrition intervention by MOH and WHO, including but not only limited to nutrition labelling and front-of-pack labelling, maternal and child nutrition, in collaboration with other counterparts.
• When needed, provide Vietnamese-English (and vice versa) translation support during meetings with Ministry of Health counterparts and partners; and translation of short documents related to NCD management and salt reduction campaign.
• Perform other duties as requested/required by the WHO Viet Nam office.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Provide annual and end of assignment self- reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/expected outputs

As a WHO Vietnam Office’s team member together with the Technical Officers in charge, the encumberment is expected to provide proactive, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly, and high-quality support to WHO Viet Nam Office to get the following results/outputs:

• Support provided for MOH to revise/develop the indicators for monitoring, regulations and guidelines for overcoming barriers and quality improvement on NCD management and maternal and child health care.
• Supported implementing integrated service delivery models, including quality improvement and M&E of hypertension management in demonstration sites of Viet Nam.
• New or innovative applications of NCD management, such as in reporting, training and self-management, promoted.
• Provided assistance to health care workers with the utilization of the Online NCD Reporting System.

Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment.

A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to WHO; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to WHO procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented;
• Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and WHO in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority;
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
• Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary;
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment towards WHO’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

public health area including working with various stakeholders, monitoring progress of health programmes and organizing workshops/trainings.

• Experience on health care service delivery, including NCD management at primary care.
• Experience in working with Ministry of Health, Public Health Institutes and local health authorities.
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills;
• Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing;
• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners;
• Familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development;
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel;
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; mobile applications and social media tools; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment;
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;
• Sound security awareness;
• Have affinity with or interest in the mission of promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals especially the goal on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN System.

The incumbent will live in Ha Noi, which has most of the economic and social amenities at a reasonable cost. Depending on living arrangements, housing can be expensive. Security is good. Ha Noi has a humid, tropical climate and monsoons. Summers, between May and September, are very hot with plenty of rain, while winters, from November to March, are cold and relatively dry. Living conditions in Hanoi are relatively good by developing country standards.

Viet Nam is a middle-income country which has witnessed rapid economic growth with impressive results in poverty reduction over the past twenty-five years. The country has deepened its integration into global and regional institutions such as the WTO, the UN institutions and ASEAN. Its current path of development is guided by the Socio-Economic Development Strategy 2011-2020 which was endorsed at the 11th Communist Party Congress in 2011. Viet Nam was recently ranked as one of the more secure and stable places to live and do business by outside research groups.

In line with further improvements in the availability of goods and services, health facilities, and housing, the level of hardship in the duty station has recently been upgraded from C to B. Security is also reasonably good relative to other developing country large cities.