CONSULTANT-TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR CAPACITY BUILDING TO CONTROL AND ELIMINATE ANOPHELES STEPHENSI IN MEMBER STATES IN THE WHO AFRICAN REGION

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Application deadline 11 months ago: Sunday 9 Apr 2023 at 21:59 UTC

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  1. Purpose of consultancy

    Please briefly describe why the work is needed and the context.

In Africa, malaria has traditionally been transmitted by efficient mosquito vectors that have a predilection to breed and thrive in rural settings. Lately, Anopheles stephensi, an invasive and efficient urban malaria vector, has widely invaded the Horn of Africa and is rapidly establishing itself and expanding its geographical range to other parts of the African region. The new challenge of urban malaria threatens to enormously expand the human population at risk and could potentially lead to inherent epidemics. Malaria-endemic countries in the region neither have the requisite experience nor appropriate policies, strategies, and guidelines to effectively tackle the emerging challenge of urban malaria and prevent the inherent epidemics. WHO developed the Global Vector Control Response (GVCR) to combat vector-borne diseases and the Vector Alert to raise awareness and address the challenges of the invasive An. stephensi. To curb this threat to public health, WHO urges Member states to implement recommendations of the Vector Alert for An. stephensi and vector control in the context of the GVCR. The WHO initiative to stop the spread of An. stephensi has been launched in Africa, and a regional strategy to control and eliminate An. stephensi in the WHO African Region has been developed. Additional and alternative policies, strategies and control approaches different from conventional intervention tools, that are amenable to urban settings, are urgently needed. To this end, WHO-AFRO intends to engage an expert as a consultant for a two-month contract. The consultant will work onsite with the national team of experts and stakeholders in respective countries to support build requisite capacity for adaptation of the regional Strategy into national response to control and eliminate An. stephensi. The objective of the contract is to support Member States in capacity building for control and elimination of An. stephensi in the WHO African Region in the context of the IVM strategy and in line with the GVCR.

The purpose of this consultancy is to build in-country capacity of the Ministries of health staff and partners in the control and elimination of Anopheles stephensi.

Objectives:

The overall objective of the task is to support Ministry of health staff and partners in the control and elimination of Anopheles stephensi in a specified country

The specific objectives are as follows:

  • Assess capacity needs in the domain of control and elimination of Anopheles stephensi in a specified country;
  • Train staff of the Ministry of Health and partners on strategies to control and eliminate Anopheles stephensi based on the entomological profile of the country;
  • Support implementation of some activities in this domain based on country priorities

Organizational Context

Under the direct supervision of the Team Lead -Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases Control, the consultant will organise training of Ministry of health staff and partners in the control and elimination of Anopheles stephensi in a specified country, and submit comprehensive report upon completion of the mission.

  1. Description of duties

    Outline clear tasks and deliverables, to be carried out in the framework of the background described above.

These need to be time-bound and specific.

No

Task

Deliverable

Timeline

1

Train Ministry of health staff and partners in the control and elimination of Anopheles stephensi in a specified country.

Final training report on the control and elimination of Anopheles stephensi for the specified country.

To be defined based on country needs

2

Support implementation of some activities for the control and elimination of Anopheles stephensi

Activity report

To be defined based on country needs

3

Draft a short consultancy accomplishment report

Final consultancy accomplishment report

TBD

Summary of Assigned Duties:

The incumbent duties shall support Ministry of health staff and partners in the control and elimination of Anopheles stephensi in a specified country

  1. Brief the WR and conduct a meeting with national authorities, discuss and agree on mission program of work
  2. Conduct a meeting with in-country institutions or programs with training facilities (lecture room, lab and field sites) and relevant logistic support.
  3. Working with the national program or institution that will host the training, develop a comprehensive training plan and share with the authorities for endorsement prior to commencement of the training.
  4. Facilitate Theoretical Training sessions on key aspects of An. stephensi:

  5. Distribution, bionomics, resistance profiles, transmission potential, amenability to vector control interventions and spread in the WHO African Region.

  6. WHO efforts to address the challenge through various approaches: Malaria threats Map, vector control policies and technical guidance such as Vector Alert, Initiative to combat An. stephensi, Information notes, An stephensi strategic plan for Africa, GVCR, GLAI, standard for monitoring insecticide resistance in vector mosquitoes etc.
  7. Implementation of interventions at country level: The national IVM Strategy; entomological surveillance, including morphological and molecular identifications, insecticide resistance monitoring and management, breeding sites, key vector control tools and approaches interventions, and their integration across diseases, multisectoral approach, community engagement and cross border issues, and enforcement of International Health Regulations.

  8. Facilitate Practical Trainings sessions in the context of the national IVM strategy and adaptation of the response plan to control and eliminate An. stephensi in the region:

  9. Entomological surveillance, bionomics, including morphological and molecular identifications of the invasive species.

  10. Identification and characterization of breeding attributes of the invasive species
  11. Amenable interventions and their integration across diseases, arboviral diseases etc.
  12. Effective community engagement and mobilization for vector surveillance and control
  13. Emphasize the need for multi-sectoral coordination for joint action and pitching a taskforce or steering committee as a mechanism for coordination on vector-borne diseases
  14. Strengthen cross-border coordination forum for information exchange, joint planning and implementation of vector surveillance and control activities
  15. Enforce international health regulations and implement vector surveillance and control at point of entry (port, border cross post) and animal agglomeration points, including disinfections of trucks, ships, and planes as well as trains traveling across multiple regions.
  16. Establish information sharing mechanisms including reporting in the event of identification of the invasive species

  17. Develop training materials tailored to the country needs and an Action plan for the adaptation of the response framework for An. stephensi.

  18. Brief the Team lead TVD and Technical Officer VBD at WHO AFRO
  19. Brief the WR and the Ministry of Health authorities and submit the training materials
  20. Prepare and submit short mission report to AFRO together with the final training documents by the end date of the contract.
  21. Perform other related tasks as requested by the supervisor.

    1. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

    Identify the educational qualifications and expertise needed for the terms of reference outlined above.

Educational Qualifications

  • The consultant should have a minimum of a master’s degree in any of the following relevant disciplines: medical entomology, environmental health, public health, tropical medicine, biomedical science. Background in epidemiology will be an added advantage.

Experience

  • At least 10 years’ experience in operational research on vector borne diseases and their control and public health programme management at national and international levels
  • Substantial level of experience in capacity building for vector surveillance and control, translation of related technical documents such as strategies and guidelines into operational plans

Skills/Knowledge

  • In-depth understanding of vector borne diseases bionomics and control, and in general health and environmental policy and strategies in Africa
  • In-depth knowledge and understanding of the local, regional and global responses to An. stephensi vector control, species identification, and insecticide resistance monitoring and management
  • Excellent writing and analytical skills

Competencies:

Candidate should be able to:

  1. Produce results
  2. Communicate in a credible and effective way
  3. Ensure effective use of resources
  4. Move forward in a changing environment
  5. Respect and promote individual and cultural differences; building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond.

Languages and level required

Expert knowledge of English, Working knowledge of French and other will be an added advantage.

  1. Travel - If travel is involved, full medical clearance is required

    Please specify any expected travel(s): dates, location and purpose. N/A

The consultant will travel to a specified country to provide technical support.

A living expense is payable to on-site consultants – please refer to Information Note 08/2019 for details on eligibility. N/A

The consultant will be paid a Full Perdiem for 30 days and half the amount for rest of the days.

Place of assignment: Field assignment

5. Remuneration and budget (travel costs excluded)

Rate [daily or monthly or for language and publishing services by word count or number of pages]:

12,500 monthly at P5 (high end) level

Currency:

United States Dollars (USD)

Work schedule (if applicable) :

Table 1: Provisional plan of work

No

Major activity

Timeline

Involved/responsible

1

Brief the WR and conduct a meeting with national authorities, discuss and agree on mission program of work

WCO* focal person & Consultant

2

Conduct a meeting with in-country institutions or programs with training facilities (lecture room, lab and field sites) and relevant logistic support.

WCO* focal person & Consultant

3

Working with the national program or institution that will host the training, develop a comprehensive training plan and share with the authorities for endorsement prior to commencement of the training.

Consultant

4

Facilitate Theoretical Training sessions on key aspects of An. stephensi:

  1. Distribution, bionomics, resistance profiles, transmission potential, amenability to vector control interventions and spread in the WHO African Region.
  2. WHO efforts to address the challenge through various approaches: Malaria threats Map, vector control policies and technical guidance such as Vector Alert, Initiative to combat An. stephensi, Information notes, An stephensi strategic plan for Africa, GVCR, GLAI, standard for monitoring insecticide resistance in vector mosquitoes etc.
  3. Implementation of interventions at country level: The national IVM Strategy; entomological surveillance, including morphological and molecular identifications, insecticide resistance monitoring and management, breeding sites, key vector control tools and approaches interventions, and their integration across diseases, multisectoral approach, community engagement and cross border issues, and enforcement of International Health Regulations.

    Consultant

    5

    Facilitate Practical Trainings sessions in the context of the national IVM strategy and adaptation of the response plan to control and eliminate An. stephensi in the region:

  4. Entomological surveillance, bionomics, including morphological and molecular identifications of the invasive species.

  5. Identification and characterization of breeding attributes of the invasive species
  6. Amenable interventions and their integration across diseases, arboviral diseases etc.
  7. Effective community engagement and mobilization for vector surveillance and control
  8. Emphasize the need for multi-sectoral coordination for joint action and pitching a taskforce or steering committee as a mechanism for coordination on vector-borne diseases
  9. Strengthen cross-border coordination forum for information exchange, joint planning and implementation of vector surveillance and control activities
  10. Enforce international health regulations and implement vector surveillance and control at point of entry (port, border cross post) and animal agglomeration points, including disinfections of trucks, ships, and planes as well as trains traveling across multiple regions.
  11. Establish information sharing mechanisms including reporting in the event of identification of the invasive species

    Consultant

    6

    Develop training materials tailored to the country needs and an Action plan for the adaptation of the response framework for An. stephensi.

    Consultant

    7

    Brief the Team lead TVD and Technical Officer VBD at WHO AFRO

    Consultant & AFRO* focal person

    8

    Brief the WR and the Ministry of Health authorities and submit the training materials

    WCO* focal person & Consultant

    9

    Prepare and submit short mission report to AFRO together with the final training documents by the end date of the contract.

    Consultant

    Please refer to Information Note 09/2021 for guidance on rates for consultants.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 11 months ago - Source: who.int