Consultant - Collect information at country level using updated global & national sources from surveillance systems on NCDs

Contract

This is a No grade contract. More about No grade contracts.

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Purpose of the consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to collect information at country level using updated global & national sources from surveillance systems on NCDs, to update NCD country profiles based on 2019 country capacity assessment survey, to write manuscript on progress made by EMR region countries in implementing the UN political declaration on NCDs for 2011, 2014 & 2018, 2019.

To assess the effect of vaccination of People Living with NCDs (PLWNCDs), on hospitalization and mortality due to COVID-19 in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).

Background

Premature death from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) continues to be one of the major development challenges in the 21st century. NCDs kill 15 million between the ages of 30 and 70 each year and leave no country untouched.

The four main NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases (CRD). The burden of these diseases is rising disproportionately among lower income countries and populations. In 2015, over three quarters of NCD deaths (30.7 million) occurred in low- and middle-income countries with about 48% of deaths occurring before the age of 70.

The leading causes of NCD deaths in 2015 were cardiovascular diseases (17.7 million deaths, or 45% of all NCD deaths), cancers (8.8 million, or 22% of all NCD deaths), and respiratory diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (3.9 million deaths). Diabetes caused another 1.6 million deaths.

More than 60% of deaths in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) are due to NCDs. The Region has the second-highest age-standardized NCDs death rates of all WHO regions. Only the WHO African Region has a higher premature mortality rate from these diseases.

Most of these premature deaths from NCDs are largely preventable by enabling health systems to respond more effectively and equitably to the health-care needs of people with NCDs, and influencing public policies in sectors outside health that tackle shared risk factors—namely tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and the harmful use of alcohol.

WHO conducts periodic assessment of national capacity for noncommunicable disease prevention and control through the use of a global survey in all Member States known as the non-communicable disease country capacity survey. In 2000, WHO carried out the first noncommunicable disease country capacity survey in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to gather detailed information on the progress of countries in addressing and responding to noncommunicable diseases. Subsequent surveys were carried out in 2005, 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2017. This comes in response to the increasing focus of the global public health community in recent years on ways to combat the burden of noncommunicable diseases. The 2011 United Nations High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases, in addressing the results of the 2010 global country capacity survey, led to the landmark adoption of the 2011 United Nations Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases. The Political Declaration required countries to take concrete action to respond to noncommunicable diseases at national level. During this period, WHO also produced the Global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013–2020, which included six objectives and 25 outcome indicators related to nine voluntary targets which should be achieved by 2025. A second United Nations High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases in 2014 led to an outcome document which articulated four time-bound commitments that countries needed to achieve. In response, WHO created an updated regional framework for action to implement the United Nations Political Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases. This framework included ten progress indicators against which countries can measure their progress in relation to the four time-bound commitments outlined in the Outcome Document. The survey tool used in the 2017 regional country capacity survey is based on this framework, making use of the ten progress indicators in assessing the capacities of countries in regard to the following four areas of intervention of the regional framework for action: governance; prevention and reduction of risk factors; surveillance, monitoring and evaluation; and health care.

Planned timelines (subject to extension according to availability of funds)

Start date: 01/03/2021

End date: 31/12/2021

Work to be performed

Output 1:

To assess the effect of vaccination of People Living with NCDs (PLWNCDs), on hospitalization and mortality due to COVID-19 in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR)

Tasks:

1. To recode data from the STEPS survey to estimate the proportions of the population who are suffering from at least one NCD, stratified by age, in countries of EMR. The included NCDs include: Hypertension and high blood pressure, diabetes and hyperglycaemia, Hyperlipidaemia, Overweight, and obesity. These in addition to older age.
2. To initiate communications with potential collaborators to support the project.
3. To communicate with countries to provide needed data if not already available.
4. To analyse data received from countries of the EMR. The selection of countries will depend on the availability of the required data to run the analysis using existing global level models.
5. To produce country profiles according to the obtained results.

Deliverables

1. Country profile according to the obtained results. on estimated populations at increased and higher risk of severe COVID-19 due to NCDs co-morbidity and risk factors in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).
2. Draft manuscript on the effect of Vaccination of People Living with NCDs (PLWNCDs), on Hospitalization and Mortality due to COVID-19 in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), 2020

Output 2:

Regional and national NCDs profiles on the progress made in the prevention and control of NCDs in EMR

Tasks:

1. 1. To collect information at national and global level on NCDs and NCDs risk factors for EMR countries
   2. To communicate with focal points at country level and Country offices as needed
   3. To validate the collected information and submitted document using existing data bases at WHO and country focal point program mangers

Deliverables:

1. 1. 1. Updated country profile on prevention and control of NCDs in EMR countries
   2. Draft manuscript on progress made by EMR countries in prevention and control of NCDs

Technical Supervision

The selected Consultant will work under the supervision of:

Responsible Officer:

Dr Heba Fouad, Technical Officer, NCS

Manager:

Dr Asmus Hammerich, Director, UHC/NCDs

Required Qualifications

Education: First university degree in Public Health or related field of International Studies.

Experience: At least 2 years’ experience working with NCD programs and related monitoring frameworks

Skills / Technical knowledge

• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft office applications and web tools on research articles such as pub med
• Demonstrated capacity to produce high quality writings
• Demonstrated coordination skills and capacity to work across teams and with different cultures.
• Research skills with academic institutions and/or professional organizations.

Language

Excellent knowledge of English.

Location

WHO/EMRO, Cairo, Egypt

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.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs excluded) Remuneration: National consultant (NOB level) / International consultant (P2 level)

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.