International Consultant (a group of consultants) to develop an Environmental Health (Lead, etc.) Surveillance System in Tbilisi, Georgia

This opening expired 2 years ago. Do not try to apply for this job.

UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

Open positions at UNICEF
Logo of UNICEF

Application deadline 2 years ago: Monday 15 Nov 2021 at 14:00 UTC

Open application form

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, health

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

After anecdotal evidence suggested high blood lead levels among Georgian children, UNICEF Georgia designed and conducted a nationally representative survey in 2018 together with Georgia’s National Statistics Office (Geostat) and the National Centre of Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC). This was the first time globally a Blood Lead Level (BLL) module was included in the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), one of the largest international household surveys worldwide. Over 1,570 collected venous blood samples from children 2-7 years of age were sent to the Italian Institute of Health in Rome (Italy) and tested on lead and other toxic metals. The survey revealed 41% of children nationwide had elevated blood lead levels.

Lead exposure, even low levels, is dangerous for children and pregnant women as it is associated with greater risks of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and low birth weight,[1] growth and developmental delays, behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities among children.[2] Recent academic research shows a robust and statistically significant causal effect of childhood lead exposure on individuals’ propensity to crime.[3]

Given the alarmingly high BLL prevalence in Georgia, with UNICEF’s advocacy and support, Government of Georgia embarked on the path to combat lead exposure. In Spring 2019, the Prime Minister of Georgia created a Working Group on Environment and Health to tackle the problem. The Government of Georgia developed a state program to provide necessary medical interventions to children with high blood lead level and their family members (under 18 years of age and pregnant women). Furthermore, the State Strategy and Action Plan for Controlling the Toxic Impact of Lead (2020-2030) was developed to minimize and at best eliminate lead poisoning in Georgia. The action plan envisages implementation of urgent short-term interventions, as well as long-term preventive measures.

Therefore, in line with UNICEF’s mission to ensure every child survives and thrives, learns, lives in a safe and clean environment, and has equitable chance in life, UNICEF Georgia is assisting the Government of Georgia to effectively combat lead exposure of children and help establish mechanisms to control toxic metal contamination and human exposure to such toxicants.

UNICEF’s support in this regard includes technical assistance on studying sources of lead exposure, creating a regulatory framework for controlling lead and other toxicant pollution in food and non-food products, construction materials, water, soil and air, establishing chemical laboratory and capacity building of the lab’s staff, developing the system for monitoring of BLL of children in health facilities as well as the Environmental Health Surveillance System to collect data on pollution, human exposure to pollutants and the prevalence of related diseases.

Currently, with support of UNICEF and other donors a cutting-edge, chemical risk factors research laboratory that will allow for advanced research related to environmental health issues, including investigation of any possible sources of exposure, is already established. The delivered equipment includes a Triple Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer, a Gas Chromatograph, and a Liquid Chromatograph, Atomic Absorption Spectrometer, and XRF analysers. The advanced equipment allows to detect sources of toxic metals and precise analysis of lead and other elements in various specimen (e.g. blood, biological fluids, paint etc.). Presently, intensive training of employees, development and implementation of laboratory research methods and standards is in progress in the laboratory. The equipment is unique to the entire region and could significantly improve the chemical risk-factor research laboratory capacities not only in Georgia but in the region as well.

UNICEF is now looking for technical expertise to support the Government of Georgia in development of an Environmental Health Surveillance System. The surveillance system should be based on global best practices but also tailored to Georgia’s specific needs and reality. Also, the surveillance system could capitalize on the existing Maternal and Child Health Electronic Management Information System (EHMIS) that tracks health and development of every child in Georgia from the moment of pregnant woman registration up until the child reaches 6 years of age. The primary aim of Georgia’s Environmental Health Surveillance System will be to systematically track trends in the effective implementation of environmental health interventions (starting with lead exposure and then gradually expanding the system to other toxicants as well).

Hence, UNICEF Georgia is seeking an international consultant (or a group of consultants) to design a feasible and sustainable surveillance system (covering at least surveillance of lead in blood, environment and industrial sources, food and other consumer products) based on the best practices from the countries with well-developed surveillance systems.

Scope of Work:

Objective:

Establishment of a National System for Surveillance in Georgia.

Deliverables:

  • An initial draft (5-7 pages) on the proposed surveillance model
  • Delivery of standard methods for analysis of lead in blood by ICP-MS and AAS methods
  • Two workshops with the stakeholders: 1) at the initial stage to brainstorm and discuss the proposed surveillance system model, and 2) at the final stage to present the developed model and finetune it.
  • The lead surveillance strategy document on establishment of the national system of lead surveillance in Georgia. The document must include:
  1. System of involved agencies and other actors with their functional engagement in the system, functional and procedural components of the surveillance system, implementation plan of the surveillance system
  2. Operational implementation of blood lead level testing at the NCDC’s Chemical Risk Factor Research Laboratory (including SOPs for collection, storage, transport and analysis of lead in blood by ICP-MS and AAS methods including the necessary protocols, standards and proficiency testing) as an integral part of the surveillance system
  3. Data management and reporting systems
  4. Medical management
  5. Exposure sources investigation and Public Health preventive actions
    • All documents, SOPs, standards, etc. to be prepared and submitted in English language.

Duration of Consultancy

The consultancy is for 3 months: 1 December 2021 -1 March 2022 inclusive.

The consultancy is part-time - 40 workdays in total (mostly remotely).

Supervision and Reporting Responsibility

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Health Specialist and Environmental Health Officer, under the general guidance of the Deputy Representative. The consultant will provide activity reports linked to the agreed tasks and deliverables.

The consultant’s performance will be evaluated against timeliness, efficiency and quality of the delivered work.

Remuneration and entitlements

The remuneration will be negotiated between UNICEF Georgia and the selected consultant, based on an initial proposal of the selected consultant. Applicants are therefore requested to submit a gross daily rate in USD. If travel is involved, the price proposal should include a separate line for travel & accommodation costs.

UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or failed to meet deadlines.

The consultant has no entitlement for annual leave, sick leave, maternity, adoption or paternity leave or any other kinds of special leave. UNICEF will not undertake any liability for tax, duty or other contribution payable on payments made under this contract. UNICEF will not issue a statement of earnings.

Health insurance

UNICEF does not provide or arrange health insurance coverage for this position. The consultant will be required to provide a proof of health insurance for the duration of the contract.

Performance indicators

The performance of the consultant will be evaluated against the following criteria: timeliness, responsibility, initiative, communication, and quality of the products delivered; also drive for results and a willingness to work within a team environment will be essential and will contribute to the performance evaluation.

Termination of contract

The contract may be terminated by either party before its expiry date by giving a two-week prior notice in writing to the other party. However, in the event of termination on the ground of misconduct, UNICEF will be entitled to terminate the contract immediately, without earlier notice.

In case of early termination of the contract, the Contractor will be compensated on a pro-rata basis for no more than the actual amount of work completed to the satisfaction of UNICEF.

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline:

Identification of the surveillance model

An initial draft (5-7 pages) on the proposed surveillance model

10 days

Workshops with the stakeholders to brainstorm and discuss the proposed surveillance system model

WS conducted and the surveillance method agreed

5 days

Identification and Delivery of standard methods for analysis of lead in blood by ICP-MS and AAS methods

Standard methods for analysis of lead in blood by ICP-MS and AAS methods

5 days

The lead surveillance strategy document on establishment of the national system of lead surveillance in Georgia prepared

The lead surveillance strategy document on establishment of the national system of lead surveillance in Georgia:

  1. System of involved agencies and other actors with their functional engagement in the system, functional and procedural components of the surveillance system, implementation plan of the surveillance system
  2. Operational implementation of blood lead level testing at the NCDC’s Chemical Risk Factor Research Laboratory (including SOPs for collection, storage, transport and analysis of lead in blood by ICP-MS and AAS methods including the necessary protocols, standards and proficiency testing) as an integral part of the surveillance system
  3. Data management and reporting systems
  4. Medical management
  5. Exposure sources investigation and Public Health preventive actions

15 days

Workshop with the stakeholders to present the developed model

WS conducted and surveillance model presented

3 days

Finalization of the report on the surveillance model

Partners feedback integrated into the final report and the report submitted

2 days

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

Minimum Qualifications

  • At least a master’s degree in public/environmental health, or a related field
  • Sound knowledge of health and environmental surveillance systems
  • At least 6 years’ experience in a relevant discipline
  • Excellent analytical and writing skills
  • Excellent command of written and spoken English

Location: Home based


[1] Hossain et. al. (2007). Environmental factors implicated in the causation of adverse pregnancy outcome. At https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2795358/ (accessed 15 Sept. 2018)

[2] Evans at. Al (2015) at https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/81522688.pdf (accessed 3 December 2018); Canfield et. al. (2003) at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12700371 (accessed 3 December 2018); U.S. CDC, Childhood Lead Poisoning Data, Statistics, and Surveillance at https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/data/index.htm (accessed 15 Sept. 2018); WHO (2017) https://www.who.int/ipcs/lead_campaign/QandA_lead_2017_en.pdf (accessed 15 Sept. 2018); EFSA: Panel on contaminants in the food chain (CONTAM). Scientific Opinion on Lead in Food. EFSA J. 2010, 8: 1570; Supranote 1

[3] Doleac (2017), New evidence that lead exposure increases crime, at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2017/06/01/new-evidence-that-lead-exposure-increases-crime/ (accessed 3 Sept. 2018)

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org