Consultant: Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Food Safety

Overview

Draft guidance document on antimicrobial resistance in food chain

You have:

• Advanced university degree in food safety, veterinary public health or related field.
• Post-graduate level training in One Health and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is desirable.
• At least 5 years of work experience with a One Health approach to food safety issues in the animal, human and environment interface.
• At least 3 years experience in developing technical guidance pertaining to food safety and AMR.
• Experience in collecting, collating and analyzing information from primary and secondary sources.
• Excellent knowledge of English (writing and speaking) is required.
• Working knowledge of Russian is desirable.
• Experience working with WHO and/or FAO in developing and providing technical support on Codex Alimentarius is desirable.

Background

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global threat of increasing concern to human, animal and environmental health. Alarming levels of resistance to common community-acquired pathogens have been reported across the world. Overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in food-producing animals has contributed to an increasing challenge of antimicrobial resistant pathogens passing on to people through the food chain and the environment. Residues of antimicrobial agents ingested via food of animal origin are another health concern as they can cause allergies, alterations in the intestinal flora and drug resistance.

Over the past decade, the context of AMR has become increasingly complex. Resistance is not only growing in common foodborne pathogens, but resistance to ‘last-resort’ antimicrobials has become more common. International trade and travel have increased significantly, leading to an increased risk of rapid spread of disease and unsafe food. There have been significant advances in research and development for the detection, diagnosis, investigation and response to AMR-related public health incidents; new technologies, such as next generation sequencing, have been introduced and the cost of applying these technologies in routine work has reduced significantly. Revision of existing and development of new guidance documents, particularly those of the Ad hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance (TFAMR), provide references for minimizing and containing AMR and strengthening integrated monitoring and surveillance of foodborne AMR. Awareness of AMR among the general public and policy makers has increased, which puts pressure on governments, businesses, international agencies and civil society to coordinate and scale up action in a timely manner.

Considering the evolving context of AMR, the purpose of this consultancy is to for incumbent to support the process of preparing a draft WHO/EURO guidance document on prevention and control of antimicrobial resistance in the food chain.

Deliverables

- Preparation of a draft WHO/EURO guidance document on the prevention and control of antimicrobial resistance in the food chain taking into consideration the evolving context of AMR in the WHO European Region.

The document should: -Provide an overview of the current context and recent developments in foodborne AMR in the WHO European Region; - Discuss the role of food safety authorities in reducing antimicrobial resistance; provide updated and practical advice on the prevention and control of antimicrobial resistance in the animal-human-environment interface using the One Health approach; - Illustrate by examples, successful interventions and programmes by Member States in the WHO European Region to prevent and contain antimicrobial resistance in foodborne pathogens.

The work will include desk research and telephone interviews, as needed.

Contract duration

The consultancy contract includes 40 working days in the period from November 2020 – January 2021.

**Educational qualifications, experience, skills and languages

*Educational qualifications***

Required: Advanced university degree in food safety, veterinary public health or related field. Desirable: Post-graduate level training in One Health and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

**Work Experience

*Required*** At least 5 years of work experience with a One Health approach to address food safety issues in the animal, human and environment interface. Of these, at least three years’ experience in developing technical guidance pertaining to food safety and AMR. Experience in collecting, collating and analyzing information from primary and secondary sources.

Desirable Experience working with WHO and/or FAO collecting, collating and providing technical support to developing and middle-income countries on Codex Alimentarius.

Skills

Excellent writing skills Teamwork and communication

Languages

Required: Excellent knowledge of English (writing and speaking) Desirable: Working knowledge of Russian

Supervision

The contractor will work under supervision of the Technical Officer – Food Safety and Zoonotic Diseases, Infectious Hazard Management, WHO Emergencies Programme, WHO Regional Office for Europe, Denmark.

Location (including in-country missions, if any)

Home based

Remuneration and budget

Remuneration is based on classified requirements of the Terms of Reference of the Individual Consultant Contract with related academic and professional experience applied for the grade in accordance with WHO’s consultant’s pay band ranges.

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Potential interview questions

Added 5 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: who.int