Contract

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1. Purpose of the Consultancy

Considering that all EMR countries are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, while ensuring the continuity of essential health care services including Mental Health; also that EMR countries may not have the skills and experience at national level and that several countries do not have a designated Mental Health Staff in WHO Country Offices; in order to translate the current heightened interest and commitment into tangible and sustained action, it is proposed to recruit a consultant to support/strengthen the coordination and technical capacity at the Regional Office and to provide backstopping to EMR countries with MHPSS response as outlined in EB148.

2. Background

The vision of the Department of UHC/Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (NMH) assists EMR Countries in the design and implementation of appropriate health policies and systems to strengthen services for noncommunicable diseases and mental health as part of the Universal Health Coverage. It works to strengthen data-driven, evidence-informed, contextually tailored policy development and implementation at national, regional and local levels, taking an inclusive approach across the life course. The Department advocates strengthening of public health leadership, focusing on implementing policies that are people centred, promote health, prevent illness, and address the social and economic determinants of health, while fostering leadership on equity, human rights and gender mainstreaming in health. It also focuses on building capacity for health systems innovation to enable the sustainable delivery of high-quality primary health and community services that are effectively linked to hospitals, and mental health, public health and social care services.

The outbreak of COVID-19 across the Region over the last two years has greatly exacerbated the already substantial public health and economic consequences of mental health conditions, both, directly as a result of people’s concerns and anxiety around infection, and also more indirectly as a result of containment measures such as self-isolation and lockdowns and subsequent impacts on social networks and economic activity. In addition to an increase in rates of mental distress and mental health conditions in the general population, the pandemic also widened socioeconomic inequalities and particularly affected groups already at higher risk of or vulnerability to mental health issues, including children and adolescents, younger adults and women, migrants and refugees as well as people with pre-existing mental and physical health conditions or disability, thereby adding to the number of populations in the Region already affected by chronic conflict and civil unrest.

WHO has played a key role in coordinating mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) response efforts in protracted and acute emergency affected populations in and beyond the Region, and has mobilized emergency mental health expertise over the last few years to support countries in the region like Afghanistan, Djibouti, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan and Yemen. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, WHO had to massively scale-up its guidance and support to countries concerning the mental health impacts of the disease and countermeasures taken to contain it, including self-isolation procedures, lengthy lockdowns, and school closures. As countries begin to emerge from the most acute phases of the crisis and start the long process of recovery, concerns over the mental health of the general population as well as especially affected groups – including children and adolescents, older adults, migrants, health care workers and people with pre-existing mental and physical health conditions or disabilities – are expected to loom large. Several countries in the Region have already highlighted the need for strengthened MHPSS as part of their response and recovery plans. The Mental Health and substance use (MNS) unit works across the levels of the organization to address mental health conditions which are among the leading causes of suffering and disability in the Region. Priority areas to be addressed at regional level include scaling up of the mental health and psychosocial support to the countries experiencing protracted emergencies exacerbated by the fall-out of the COVID-19 crisis, the increasing prevalence of depressive and anxiety and substance use disorders among young people, the growth of self-harm and suicide, and the unmet needs of people with dementia or autism spectrum disorder, the mental and psycho-social support needs of health workers, the need for supporting the resilience of communities affected by conflict. At country level the emphasis has been on scaling up of mental health hand substance use services guided by the regional frameworks on mental health and Substance use adopted by the regional committee.

3. Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

Start date: 15/01/2022

End date: 30/06/2022

4. Work to be performed

The consultant will provide technical guidance and expert advice for the application and adaptation of WHO, Sphere Project and IASC policies and strategies in the areas of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), especially in the context of emergency preparedness, response and recovery including the COVID-19 pandemic. S/he will have the responsibility for coordinating with EMR countries timely, effective and efficient implementation of the activities.

Output1: A regional mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) action plan for catering to the needs of affected population(s), affected by protracted emergencies and COVID-19 pandemic.

Deliverable 1.1: Cooperate with stakeholders to develop a regional mental health and psychosocial support action plan.

Deliverable 1.2: Strengthen coordination with other UN agencies, civil society organizations, academic institutions and Government sectors for the MHPSS response through setting up a regional coordination mechanism for MHPSS in close collaboration with existing MHPSS Technical Working Groups (TWGs) in countries.

Deliverable 1.3: Provide technical guidance to the Interagency MHPSS TWGs to carry out Situation analyses in selected affected countries.

Output 2: Capacity building activities to respond to population MHPSS needs

Deliverable 2.1: Plan, develop, and support conduct of , in coordination with the national and international stakeholders involved in the emergency response, capacity building activities to respond to population MHPSS needs, including in the civil unrest/conflict and COVID-19 response and recovery contexts.

Output 3: Development of regional situation analysis, and monitoring systems for MHPSS needs and resources

Deliverable 3.1: Liaise with national and international stakeholders and other team members to develop regional situation analysis, assessment and monitoring systems for MHPSS needs and resources.

Deliverable 3.2: Draft, revise and submit technical documents, briefing notes, meeting reports, information products and content, as appropriate.

5. Technical Supervision

The selected Consultant will work under the supervision of:

Responsible Officer:

Dr Khalid Saeed, Regional Adviser, MNS

Manager:

Dr Asmus Hammerich, Director, UHC/NMH

6. Specific requirements

- Qualifications required:

* Essential Education:

Minimum first University degree or Master’s degree in psychiatry, psychology, or allied social science.

Desirable: Post-graduate qualification or specialized training in (a) public health and/or (b) MHPSS in emergency and humanitarian crises.

- Experience required:

Essential

From 5 to 10 years of relevant experience, at the national and international levels, in the assessment, development and implementation of policies, strategies and action plans for MHPSS in the context of emergencies. Experience in capacity building, developing and promoting collaborative partnerships.

Desirable:

• Experience with implementing WHO’s mental health Gap Action Program (mhGAP)
• Relevant work experience in WHO, other UN agencies, relevant non-governmental or humanitarian organizations.
• Experience in working for or with a Government Ministry of Health in a low- or middle-income country.

- Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

Expert knowledge of:

• International policy frameworks (WHO, Sphere, IASC) for reduction of public health problems related to mental health in emergency settings.
• Implementation tools (e.g.: WHO/UNHCR MHPSS assessment toolkit, psychological first aid field guide, mhGAP Humanitarian Intervention Guide, mental health component of Interagency Emergency Health Kit (IEHK), ‘Building Back Better’ casebook, plus COVID-19 related guidance materials) for reduction of public health problems related to mental health in (post-) emergency settings.

Demonstrated ability to:

• Provide expert advice on the development and implementation of MHPSS policies and programmes in the prevention and treatment of mental, neurological and substance use disorders in emergency settings.
• Plan and conduct capacity building activities in MHPSS.
• Work effectively in an emergency and humanitarian response context, under constraints and meet deadlines.
• Work on MHPSS with government health authorities.
• Collaborate on MHPSS across sectors.

Other Skills (e.g. IT)

Knowledge of office software applications.

- Language requirements:

Excellent knowledge of English. Working knowledge of another WHO official language would be an asset (e.g. Arabic).

7. Place of assignment

Cairo, Egypt .

8. Medical clearance

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

9. Travel (If travel is involved, a medical certificate of fitness for work will be required.)

The Consultant is expected to travel according to WHO travel guidelines and regulations.

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.

Visa requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs excluded)

Remuneration: international consultant (Pay band level B)

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.

• 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.

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Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: who.int