Consultant, Tuberculosis affected community representative

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Application deadline 3 years ago: Thursday 3 Dec 2020 at 22:59 UTC

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1. Purpose of the Position The purpose of this vacancy is to build a roster of representatives in Tuberculosis affected community to assess the engagement of civil society and TB affected communities in prevention, diagnostic, treatment and care within the review of National programmes for tuberculosis .

2. Organizational context The review of a formal national tuberculosis (TB) programme (NTP) is an important exercise to evaluate the implementation and impact of TB prevention, treatment and care in a country, in the context of the goals, objectives and targets that have been specified in the national strategic plans. The review may also significantly contribute to identifying best practices, challenges to implementation, and potential solutions to any problems that have been identified. A review should identify the strengths and weaknesses of the NTP as well as the opportunities for improving the services and recommendations. These recommendations provide the foundation for improving the strategy adopted for TB response and for revising or developing a national disease specific strategic plan. To maximize the impact of the review on addressing gaps, it is important to include all relevant national and international partners in the process. Civil Society Organizations (CSO) have professional experience in advocacy, protection, provision of innovative services to vulnerable populations or those at risk, ensuring the continuum of TB care, in operational research, procurement and community action, among other. Representatives of the TB affected communities have personal first-hand experience of the disease, the strengths and challenges of a health system response and community action, all of which can ground and enrich the insight needed for comprehensive NTP review.

In 2014, WHO developed the “Framework for conducting reviews of Tuberculosis programmes” . Its main purpose is to provide guidance on how to organize the review of an NTP. It also describes the process of using the findings of the field visits, formulating recommendations and developing a review report that informs reforms. The Framework includes checklists to assess key areas, including assessing the engagement of civil society, nongovernmental and community organisations. This implies evaluation of the arrangements and mechanisms for ensuring the engagement and participation of NGOs, civil society organizations, affected communities and other stakeholders, such as representatives from other sectors (e.g. justice, labour, social protection). Since 2014 there have been major evolutions in the WHO strategy for prevention, care and control for the elimination of TB, as well as the changing situation in international and domestic funding distribution.

3. Description of duties The main purpose of the work will be to complement the impact analysis of the TB progress at the country level, building on the Framework’s checklists, analysing the added value that already exists or can be provided to a country’s NTP by civil society and affected communities, in relation to: (1) providing a People-centred model of TB care, following the approach of the SDGs and of Universal Health Coverage ambitions; (2) ensuring quality, scaled-up services for key and vulnerable populations, during and after the transition from donor to domestic funding.

Duties:

● Assess whether TB related national policies and practices includes: o Objectives on engaging people with personal experience of the disease in their policy development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes. ● Assess whether national policies or practices provide capacity building for patients and smaller community groups; ● Engage with patients, their family members or advocates and primary health care providers on: o health literacy on TB, TB/M/XDR-TB treatment, prevention; o awareness on human rights dimensions in TB such as informed consent. o psycho-social support needs and their satisfaction; o barriers in adherence to treatment; o stigma and discrimination; o perception of integrated and people-centered TB services (services which are focused on the needs of the service recipients and account not only for medical but also for psychosocial needs for better adherence and treatment outcomes).

Deliverables:

● Desk review of all available and relevant national policies, strategies, regulations and reports prior to the country mission; ● Participation in internal meetings and briefings with WHO and the review team prior, during and after the mission to ensure: o smooth preparations to the mission, o proper conduct of the mission, and o timely writing and compilation of the mission report; ● Take part in country missions and data collection to address the issues listed above; ● Formulation of main findings and recommendations. ● Participation in the de-briefing of stakeholders in-country on the main findings and recommendations; ● Development the Review Report in coordination with other members of the review team.

4. Recruitment Profile The minimum academic and professional experience required to apply for the roster is outlined below. The actual grade for each individual contract will be determined in accordance with WHO guidelines on minimum requirements at the time of contract issuance.

Functional Knowledge and Skills

Essential:

● Familiarity with national, regional and global policies and responses to TB (including TB and HIV co-infection and TB and other co-morbidities); ● Network with other key and vulnerable community groups in the country and/or the region; ● Excellent writing skills and proven experience in report writing and/or M&E; ● Strong communication skills, including with small and large groups, with diverse constituencies, and public speaking.

Desirable:

● Basic knowledge of TB epidemiology.

Education Qualifications

• Essential:

Specialist level o First university degree (bachelor) in public health, social science or equivalent.

Expert level o Advance University degree (Master) in public health, social science or equivalent.

● Desirable: Trainings on TB epidemiology and programmatic management of TB/M/X-DR-TB).

Experience

Essential:

Specialist: ● minimum 5 years’ relevant work experience in activism and advocacy for health and rights of TB communities; ● Conduct of interviews and focus group discussions.

Expert: ● Minimum 10 years’ relevant work experience in activism and advocacy for health and rights of TB communities; ● Conduct of interviews and focus group discussions;

Desirable: ● Experience with reviews missions, monitoring and evaluation in community context.

Language

Essential: ● Excellent spoken and written English. Desirable: ● Written and spoken Russian. ● Working knowledge of another WHO EURO language.

5. Supervision The consultant will work under the supervision of the Technical Officer, Unit for TB, HIV/AIDS,Hepatitis and other infectious diseases, Division of Country Health Programmes.

6. Location The consultant will be required to work both in WHO Regional Office premises (if needed) and to travel to attend country missions.

7. Contract duration Individual Terms of Reference will be provided separately for each assignment.

8. Remuneration 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.

Added 3 years ago - Updated 3 years ago - Source: who.int