Consultant to provide technical support to One Health partners in Jordan

Medical & Health

1. Purpose of consultancy

---

The main objective of this consultancy is to provide technical support to One Health partners (MOH, MOA, MOEnv) to implement the Defence Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Zoonotic Diseases Surveillance using the One Health approach activities related to strengthening surveillance at the human-animal-environment interface.

The Ministry of Health of Jordan is committed to the effective implementation of the resolution of the 68th Regional Committee of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), it is urgent to advance on Integrated Disease Surveillance (IDS), which entails close collaboration across all surveillance programmes within MOH (such collaboration is missing because of fragmentation of surveillance systems, such as communicable diseases under epidemiology directorate and all-hazards event-based surveillance at PH-EOC).

WHO helps countries to prepare for and respond to a wide range of public health events through its programs on infectious diseases, food safety, and environmental, chemical, and radio-nuclear safety.

Through these programs, WHO facilitates collaboration with different national and international partners in various sectors and builds on each country’s existing initiatives, to strengthen core capacities and help countries to meet their IHR commitments.

2. Background

---

Communicable Diseases reporting list in Jordan is formed of two sections, Group A diseases which need immediate reporting by telephone or fax and Group B diseases which need weekly and monthly electronic reporting through a web-based reporting system "Jordan Infectious Diseases Information System” (JIDIS).

The reporting system of communicable diseases in Jordan is mainly passive. All health centers and hospitals from the public sector and some from the private sector report communicable diseases to local health directorates; health directorates aggregate the data from all reporting sites within their jurisdiction and send the data electronically through the web-based system "JIDIS" to the communicable diseases directorate on weekly and monthly basis.

Recently, a new reporting system was introduced in Jordan, “Interactive Electronic Reporting System” (IERS), which is an interactive real-time case-based reporting system that recognizes the epidemiological situation at health centers level in a timely manner.

Zoonotic diseases pose risks to both animal and human health, and can impact livelihoods, economies, and national and global food and health security. Surveillance is an essential part of prevention and control of zoonotic diseases but cannot be effectively addressed by any one sector alone. A collaborative One Health approach and a coordinated multi-sectoral surveillance system are essential to rapidly identify and respond to zoonotic disease events within a country.

Zoonotic disease surveillance and response simulation exercises provide a stepwise method and instrument to guide assessment of the national structures or mechanisms already in place to support coordinated zoonotic disease surveillance and cross-sectoral information sharing. It is based on a framework of activities and requirements necessary to build coordinated zoonotic disease surveillance, and leverages and links users to a curated set of existing resources developed by the WHO (WHO Simulation Exercise Manual) that can help develop or improve that capacity. Finally, a simulation exercise guides development of a roadmap and action plan to use those resources to bridge existing structures and build or strengthen the country’s coordinated surveillance system.

Planned activities: a real-life simulation event will be designed to evaluate the operational capability of the IERS simulating actual functions. This includes the mobilization and movement of personnel, equipment, and resources from multiple sectors to action in the field. The exercise will be carried out over a 2-week period.

Zoonotic influenza A viruses, such as avian influenza A virus subtypes A(H5N1), A(H5N6), A(H7N9), A(H7N7) and A(H9N2) and swine influenza A virus subtypes A(H1N1), A(H1N2) and A(H3N2) (12) infect human primarily through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated environments; these viruses have not acquired the ability of sustained transmission among humans but it has pandemic potentials

that’s why its selected for this exercise.

Week

Day

Activity

1

1

Exercise planning, material development and set-up:

Workshop: Training on AI, Sampling, Data collection, Biosafety/Biosecurity, Testing, Response, Evaluation of Interventions

1

2

Workshop: Review of current surveillance system and initiate simulation

1

3

CPHL training: Testing of sera by Hemagglutination Inhibition assay and testing of swabs by PCR

1

4

CVL training: Testing of sera by Hemagglutination Inhibition assay and testing of swabs by PCR

1

5

Exercise conduct:

• Field: RRT to visit the outbreak site and collect samples

• Report the event by using the existing electronic surveillance system at the human animal interface.

  2

  1

  CPHL:

• Testing collected samples

• Report laboratory data and integrate with epi data at the human animal interface

  2

  2

  CVL:

• Testing collected samples

• Report using the existing electronic diseases surveillance at the human animal interface

  2

  3

  Workshop: Analyze data and plan interventions and response activities at the human animal interface using the existing mechanisms of joint result dissemination mechanisms (e.g. bulletins, reports, papers, media reports, websites)

  2

  4

  Field: Revisit the outbreak site to perform interventions at the human animal interface

  2

  5

  Post-exercise reporting and recommendations:

Workshop: Debrief, determine monitoring and evaluation activities of outbreak response, Evaluate simulation exercise at the human animal interface

3. Work to be performed

---

This consultancy covers DTRA-funded implementation activities conducted to support Jordan MOH to improve and strengthen capacities for developing and implementing national zoonotic disease surveillance and data sharing among the MOH, national One Health partners, and related international organizations.

The consultant is expected to conduct the following activities:

Output 1: Review the current national surveillance and information sharing system

• At least 22 working days will be spent to collect and review relevant documents using WHO tools and checklist.
• 2 days travel to Jordan in July 2022 to hold face to face meetings.

Activities

• Provide technical expertise, mentoring and guidance to MOH to ensure the correct and comprehensive review and to update the existing national zoonotic diseases guidance content.
• Identify issues and challenges arising during the review exercise and provide guidance to MOH teams for resolution of issues (corrective and preventive action plans).
• Schedule site visits to be determined in agreement with the MOH NFP to review the national and subnational surveillance system for early detection of emerging infectious diseases of animal origin.
• Report to the WHO technical officer any problems in implementation and report regularly on the activities and progress made.

Deliverable

• Submit meeting report describing the findings, means of communication, and roles and responsibility of each member at the national and subnational level during outbreak response as per the National guidelines of the early warning system and the integrated diseases surveillance

Output 2: Organize and conduct simulation exercise

• 30 working days to finalize the simulation exercise plan including all components mentioned in the WHO Simulation Exercise Manual including testing the existing electronic surveillance at the human animal interface.
• In September 2022, a 14-days mission to Jordan to conduct the simulation exercise to report and respond to epidemic for one of the priority diseases using the existing electronic surveillance tools at the human animal interface.

Activities

• Conduct and facilitate meetings and workshops.
• Coordinate field and lab activities.
• Identify electronic surveillance system needs as defined by the national strategy to respond to the zoonotic diseases.
• Evaluate simulation exercise with the focus on using the electronic JIERS-EIDSS tools based on the findings.
• Provide support to MOH to enhance the national surveillance structure building on the existing structure.

Deliverables

• Conduct simulation exercise at the human animal interface
• Develop activity plan ensuring building and sustaining strong capacity of early warning systems and epidemiological surveillance, laboratories, health systems and health professionals, the emergency response system, and risk communications at the human animal interface.

• Develop report summarising Data collection and analysis level Interoperability mechanisms at data collection level.

• Existence of integrated data collection tools

• Existence of activation mechanisms of human surveillance based on signals from animal surveillance, Presence of DB exchange/merging/other mechanisms to facilitate joint analysis among sectors, Performance of joint/integrated data analysis among the different surveillance sectors.

4. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

---

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: Master’s degree in Medical Sciences, with strong background in epidemiological biostatistics, projects monitoring and evaluation, and surveillance data analysis.

Desirable: Medical Degree/PhD in medical field.

Experience - Over 10 years of experience in related fields, as well as experience in facilitating effective communication between data resources and stakeholders and train MOH officials on effective utilization of data, statistical reports, and analysis tools.

-Epidemiology: Data analysis, disease’s surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, quantitative data analysis, data modelling.

Skills/Technical skills and knowledge:

• Training skills.
• Excellent report writing skills in English and Arabic.
• Publications in related topics are highly desirable.
• Effective utilization of available surveillance data for publication purposes.
• Ability to provide support and guidance in analytical methodologies and statistical procedures.
• Skills in development of data dissemination plan.

Languages and level required:

Excellent in Arabic and English (writing, reading, speaking).

5. Location

---

Remotely and Jordan - planning for 2 field missions in October and November.

6. Planned timelines

---

On average, 15 days per month for 7 months (total number of workdays expected: 90 days) including working off-site for scenario preparation and online meetings and report writing.

Start date: 1 June 2022

End date: 15 December 2022

7. Medical clearance

---

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

8. Travel

---

The Consultant is expected to travel to Jordan according to the itinerary and estimated schedule below:

Travel dates

Location:

From

2/7/2022

To

6/7/2022

Amman, Jordan

Purpose:

face to face meetings

Travel dates

Location:

From

3/9/2022

To

16/9/2022

Amman, Jordan

Purpose:

To conduct the simulation exercise plan including

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

• 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.
• 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 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.

Apply now

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