Consultant for ETB to Provide Technical Support to CENAT

..

1. Purpose of the Consultancy

The World Health Organization (WHO) would like to recruit an experienced and dynamic short-term consultant to provide technical support to National Center for Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control in Cambodia. During the working period consultant work closely Team Leader of Communicable Disease, the National technical officer, the Coordinator End TB and Leprosy Unit Division of Communicable Diseases World Health Organization, the Regional Office for the Western Pacific, the National Center for TB and Leprosy Control, USAID and other key partners to achieve the following expected outputs.

1. Provide technical support on daily basis to CENAT on the implementation of the third TB prevalence in close collaboration with RIT/JATA, institute Paster, USAID partner, and stakeholders.
2. Provide technical support to CENAT to develop, implement and monitor the progress of the multisectoral accountability framework for TB (MAF-TB) in Cambodia
3. Provide technical support on the national TB guidelines based on the latest WHO recommendations, including the campaign 1/4/6 by 2024.
4. Review current strategic interventions and recommend strategic priorities for 2024- 2026 and update the current National Strategic Plan to End Tuberculosis in Cambodia, 2021-2030 with the addendum

2. Background

Cambodia has recently transitioned out of the list of 30 high-burden countries for TB, yet the country remains on the global watch list for TB which warrants continued attention in TB response. According to the World Health Organization report in 2021, Cambodia has 48,000 total TB estimated incidence, 3,400 TB mortality, 45% of treatment coverage resulted from the TB notification of 21,589 in 2021.

While there have been successes in the treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis (DS-TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) in Cambodia, case detection of all types of TB remains a challenge over time, with one-third of cases not yet identified. Due to Covid 19 impact, the TB case notification was a bit further reduced in 2021 (21,589 cases) compared to the year 2020 (29,136 cases) before the case detection increased 2022.

The estimated percentage of TB cases with MDR/RR-TB is 1.9% and 12 % among new and previously treated cases respectively with approximately 1000 cases in 2021(WHO, 2021). However, only 137 laboratory confirmed-MDR/RR cases were identified and put on treatment in 2021. The treatment success rate of DS-TB has been 96% (cohort 2020) and success rate of MDR/RR-TB was 85% (cohort 2019). Approximately 40% of children under five that were household contacts of TB confirmed patients, received TB preventive treatment in 2021.

Although Cambodia is one of the seven high burden countries that has reached the 2020 milestone of a 20% reduction in TB incidence and has achieved remarkable progress in incidence reduction, reduced mortality, increasing treatment success rate for Drug Susceptible TB, there are remaining gaps and challenges still to be addressed. This will require additional effort as the National TB program (NTP) and partners implement activities in a COVID-19 operating environment. To reach the UN High-Level Meeting targets (UNHLM), SDGs, and targets of the WHO End TB Strategy, innovative interventions with adequate resources are strongly needed.

Cambodia is implementing its 3rd national TB prevalence survey, the protocol was endorsed and is in the preparation stage. WHO collaborates with technical expertise from Japan Anti- Tuberculosis Association (JATA), Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC), and other USAID partners to support the National Center for TB and Leprosy Control (CENAT) in conducting the national TB prevalence.

The current national guidelines are needed to update based on the latest WHO-recommended for TB prevention, treatment and care including the campaign 1/4/6 by 2024. ( 1 = One-month and once-weekly TB preventive treatments, 1HP and 3HP one month or once-weekly for TB prevention, four months for drug-sensitive TB, and six months for drug-resistant TB — by the end of 2024.

Multisectoral collaboration is crucial to address TB. The related work has been implemented to some extent and the National Consultation Workshop on Multi-Sectoral Accountability Framework Among the line Ministry, Private Sector and CSO were organized. The framework needs to be established to guide the rollout implementation. The current End TB national strategy plan 2021-2030 needs to be reviewed, added the addendum, and recommended for priorities for 2024-2026 to reflect the new introduction of the innovative intervention, the latest global recommendation being implemented in the country.

The WHO consultant should, therefore, engage with government and non-state actors at all levels for evidence-generating and evidence-based decisions, policy formulation, and implementation monitoring and evaluation. In addition to the following expected outcomes

3. Planned timelines (subject to confirmation)

Start date: 01 April 2023

End date: 31 Jan 2024

4. Work to be performed

Method(s) to carry out the activity

The consultant will collaborate with the Team Leader of Communicable Disease/ National technical officer in Country office, WHO Head Quarter and Western Pacific Region (WPRO), the National Centre for TB and Leprosy Control (CENAT), JATA, IPC ,USAID partner and key stakeholders, the consultant shall deliver the following output:

Output/s

Output 1: Smoothly implemented the 3rd TB prevalence survey in close collaboration with CENAT, RIT/JATA, institute Paster, USAID partner and stakeholders.

• Deliverable 1.1: lead the coordination and provide technical support to survey focal staff of CENAT in close collaboration with WHO county office, WPRO, HQ, survey technical leading from JATA, data management from IPC , and USAID partner and key stakeholders to ensure survey operation is implemented in line with the timeline including but not limited to pilot, training, field assessment, cluster operation, mid-term review, data collection and cleaning analysis and provisional result.

• Deliverable 1.2: lead coordination and support to the survey focal staff of CENAT in daily tasks to ensure smooth survey operation, identify issues, and address them on time with consultation with CENAT, JATA, IPC, and all involved stakeholders. It will include but not be limited to human resources and field teams for cluster operation, logistics and supplies chain, capacity building

• Deliverable 1.3: support and participate in selected field operations if deemed necessary and address key bottleneck for field implementation on time.

Output 2: Multi-sector Accountability Framework (MAF) for TB developed, implemented, and monitored.

• Deliverable 2.1: lead the coordination with CENAT, KHANA and USAID to draft the national MAF-TB-based WHO Multisectoral Accountability Framework for TB (MAF-TB), another country best practices, the current country effort and result from the National Consultation Workshop on Multi-Sectoral Accountability Framework Among the line Ministry, Private Sector and CSO.

• Deliverable2.2: Support CENAT on coordination of regular meeting and document of the lesson learned and best practice of MAF TB implementation

Output 3: Updated national TB guidelines based on the latest WHO recommendations, including the campaign 1/4/6 by 2024.

• Deliverable 3.1: leading in writing the update of the current national TB treatment guidelines based on the latest WHO recommendations
• Deliverable 3.2: take lead and facilitate with CENAT and partners how to move forward the campaign 1/4/6 by 2024 considering the procurement, drug transition timeline, and introduction.

Output 4: Reviewed the current strategic interventions and recommended strategic priorities for 2024- 2026 and update the current National Strategic Plan to End Tuberculosis in Cambodia, 2021-2030 with the addendum

• Deliverable4.1: Take a lead in coordinating and working closely with CENAT and partners on the development of the addendum of the current TB NSP 2021-20230 based on the updated and evolution of new TB interventions and innovative in the country
• Deliverable 4.2: Take a lead in coordinating and working closely with CENAT and partners on recommended strategic priorities for 2024- 2026.

5. Specific requirements

- Qualifications required:

• Essential: Master’s degree in public health with university degree in medicine from a recognized institution.
• Desirable: Technical expertise in TB prevalence survey, developing national TB strategic plan, MAF-TB and writing and developing national TB guidelines and country adaption of new regimen

- Experience required:

• Essential: Minimum of 10 years working experience in public health, especially experience in tuberculosis control programs.
• Desirable: Experience in TB prevalence survey, developing national TB strategic Plan, MAF-TB and writing and developing national TB guidelines and country adaption of the new regimen

- Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices, methodology and techniques in public health, including knowledge of TB prevention and control interventions

Skills in the management of TB program

Experiences in TB prevalence survey, operational research related to TB, writing the national TB strategic plan, guidelines and MAF-TB development.

- Language requirements:

Fluent in written/spoken English

6. Competencies

1. Communicating in a credible and effective way
2. Producing results
3. Moving forward in a changing environment
4. Fostering integration and teamwork

Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

7. Place of assignment

National Centre for TB Leprosy Control in Cambodia (CENAT) and WHO Cambodia

8. Medical clearance

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

9. Travel

The Consultant is expected to travel.

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.

Additional information

• 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.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• 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.