Consultant: tuberculosis, drug-resistant TB (ROSTER)

-1. Purpose of consultancy

Tuberculosis (TB) and drug-resistant TB continue to represent major public health threats in the WHO European Region.

The regional Green Light Committee for the WHO European Region (rGLC/Europe) was established in June 2011 to address the need for scaling up the programmatic management of drug-resistant tuberculosis (PMDT) in the Region.

In September 2022 WHO EURO will present new Regional TB action plan for 2023-2030 to the Regional Committee for Europe for the endorsement by Member States. The new TB action plan builds on the progress and lessons learned from the implementation of the previous action plan for 2016–2020 and outlines the vision and strategic actions for the Region for 2023–2030.

2. Background

The WHO Regional Office for Europe is announcing a new call to serve for the period of 2023-2025 to provide technical support to countries on TB, DR-TB and comorbidities on behalf of the WHO European Region. The current activity is fully aligned with the Memorandum of Understanding between WHO and The Global Fund, signed on 01 July 2020.

3. Deliverables

The main purpose of the work for consultants of this roster is to support Member States in implementation of the National TB Plans, building national capacity on DR-TB and support them in alignment of national strategies and approaches with the latest WHO recommendations. More specifically, consultants will need:

• Assess the progress of the implementation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP), including its DR-TB component and develop recommendations for future activities.
• Assess the effectiveness of implementing the current drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) control project supported by The Global Fund, including TB drug management, as well as other projects and activities on DR-TB.
• Advise on estimated number of multidrug/pre- or rifampicin-resistant TB (M/pre-XDR /RRTB) and MDR/RR-TB with additional resistance to fluoroquinolones (pre-XDR-TB) patients for the next period of treatment.
• Participate at the rGLC/Europe meetings, both virtual and face-to-face ones.
• Identify the need for technical assistance and recommended actions with any aspect of the programmatic management of drug-resistant TB in order to fulfil the national TB strategic plan.
• Assess the level of governmental support and coordination between the government and internal and external partners (donors, implementers), civilian and penitentiary systems, interventions focused on DR-TB and comorbidities, human resource management and training.
• Assess case-finding strategies and identify barriers to the timely start of DR-TB treatment, including TB in children.
• Assess case management and treatment strategies and approaches.
• Assess the current status of laboratory services, diagnostics, accessibility for patients, collaboration with the supranational reference laboratory, recording and reporting.
• Check compliance of the drugs orders of the respective countries submitted to the review of rGLC/Europe.
• Participate at the External Review of the National TB Control Program (NTP review) and provide input.
• Follow up on the implementation of the modified Short Treatment Regimens (mSTR) for MDR/RR-TB.
• List of TB priority countries to be supported with technical assistance:
  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Belarus
  • Georgia
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Republic of Moldova
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Ukraine
  • Uzbekistan

Deliverables

At the end of each technical assistance and/or technical assistance mission to the country, mission report should be submitted to WHO EURO within 14 calendar days after completion of the task and should reflect recommendations to the National TB Program of the respective country. Approximately 6 months after completion of the mission, a follow up of implementation of recommendation will be conducted to assess the need for additional technical support.

4. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Qualifications for Experts level (Band C)

• University degree in medicine (essential).
• Public health background (essential).
• Specialization in tuberculosis (essential).
• PHD degree in public health or medicine (essential).
• Excellent training and communication skills (essential).

Experience

• At least 10 years’ professional experience in the field of public health, including a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the area of tuberculosis (essential).
• Minimum 5 year of leading the national TB or TB related projects (desirable).
• Work experience with WHO or another international public health organization (essential).

Skills/Knowledge

• Excellent report-writing skills in English and Russian (essential, equal to B2 – C1 level ).
• Knowledge of the requirements of rGLC missions (desirable).

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English and Russian (essential).

Qualifications for Specialist level (BAND B)

• University degree in medicine (essential).
• Specialization in tuberculosis (essential).
• Master’s and higher (PHD) degree in public health or related field (desirable).
• Public health background (desirable).

Experience

• At least 7 years’ professional experience in the field of public health, including a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the area of tuberculosis (essential).
• Minimum 2 year of working at the national TB or TB related projects (essential).
• Work experience with WHO or another international public health organization (essential).

Skills/Knowledge

• Report-writing skills in English and Russian (essential, equal to B2 level).
• Excellent training and communication skills (desirable).
• Knowledge of the requirements of rGLC missions (desirable).

Languages

• Good knowledge of English and Russian (essential).

Qualifications for Young Professionals (BAND A)

• Bachelor’s level degree in biomedical/biochemical sciences (essential).
• Masters level degree in public health (desirable).

Experience

• At least 3 years’ professional experience in the field of public health, including a minimum of 2 years’ experience in the area of tuberculosis and minimum 1 year of working at the national TB or TB related projects (essential).
• Experience of working with WHO working groups (desirable).

Skills/Knowledge

• Report-writing skills in English and Russian (essential);
• Good communication and facilitation skills (essential);
• Knowledge of the requirements of rGLC missions (desirable).

Languages

• Good knowledge of English and Russian (essential).

5. Location

The consultant will work at home and international travel to the countries specified will be involved and when needed in WHO Regional Office premises.

6. Travel

International travel to the countries specified above may be required, depending on the epidemiological situation, specific ToR created for each individual contract.

7. Remuneration

Remuneration package 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 consultants’ s pay band ranges according to the deliverables presented to WHO. Payment will be made in US $. a. Living expenses are not foreseen under that contract, excluding the international travels to the designated country/s under travel expenses. b. Expected duration of contract is up to 40 consultancy days per contract per person cumulatively each year of 2023, 2024 and 2025.

8. 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'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.
• The purpose of this vacancy is to develop a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in this advertised roster. All applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application (whether successful or unsuccessful) upon conclusion of the selection process. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments falling in this area of work or for similar requirements/tasks/deliverables. Inclusion in the Roster does not guarantee selection to a consultant contract. There is no commitment on either side.