International Consultant – Air Pollution and Health

Purpose of consultancy

The proposed consultancy work is to work closely with Regional Adviser - Air Pollution, Environmental Health and Chemical Safety (AEC), Department of Healthier Populations and Noncommunicable Diseases (HPN), WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia to undertake the following tasks:

• prepare a situational report on air pollution and health in eleven Member States of the WHO South-East Asia;
• prepare a draft Roadmap to Accelerate and Scale-up Actions to Reduce the Impact of Air Pollution on Health in the South-East Asia Region (hereinafter is called as Draft Roadmap);
• conduct consultation with Member States of WHO-SEARO and other relevant stakeholders on the (a) Situational Report and (b) Draft Roadmap; obtain and incorporate final comments and inputs and prepare the (a) final draft Situational Report on Air Pollution and Health in Member States; (b) final Draft Roadmap to Accelerate and Scale-up Actions to Reduce the Impact of Air Pollution on Health in the South-East Asia Region.

Background

Indoor (household) and outdoor air (ambient) pollution are both among the leading avoidable causes of disease and death in the WHO, South-East Asia Region. Air pollution from various sources contribute to morbidity and mortality caused by diseases such as pneumonia, stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. An average of 63% of the households in the South-East Asia Region are exposed to unacceptable levels of household air pollution. For people in cities, 99% of the populations breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits and contains high levels of pollutants. Substantial inequities in impact have been observed, with women and children are disproportionately affected, particularly from the household air pollution. This has a significant bearing on the fact that acute respiratory infection remains the biggest single cause of death in under-5 children in the WHO SEA Region.

In 2016, the WHO World Health Assembly adopted a resolution on air quality and health followed by a roadmap for an enhanced global response to the adverse effects of air pollution which was endorsed at the World Health Assembly in 2018. In 2019, the WHO Global Strategy on Health, Environment and Climate Change was approved by the Seventy-second World Health Assembly which calls for actions to scale up action on environmental determinants of health including the health impact caused by air pollution. Then in 2019, the WHO-SEARO endorsed a Resolution on the Regional Plan of Action for Implementing the WHO Global Strategy for Health, Environment and Climate Change, 2020–2030: Healthy environments for a healthier population (SEA/RC72/R4) to deal with environmental health issues affecting the Region including the urgent need to address air pollution issues.

The proposed consultancy is to support and work closely with the Regional Adviser Air Pollution, Environmental Health and Chemical Safety (AEC), to undertake the following tasks:

1.prepare a situational report on air pollution and health in eleven Member States of the WHO South-East Asia which covers amongst others the following aspects or questions:

• The level of air pollution in eleven Member States of WHO, South-East Asia namely: (1) Bangladesh; (2) Bhutan; (3) Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; (4) India; (5) Indonesia; (6) Maldives; (7) Myanmar; (8) Nepal; (9) Sri Lanka; (10) Thailand; and (11) Timor-Leste – how much we know and how much we don’t know;
• Information on the health impacts of air pollution in eleven Member States of WHO-SEAR (as listed above) – how much we know and how much we don’t know;
• Information on legal, institutional, financial and human resources to deal with air pollution and the health management caused by air pollution in eleven Member States of WHO-SEAR;
• Other aspects after consultation with consultation with the Regional Adviser Air Pollution, Environmental Health and Chemical Safety (AEC) and relevant stakeholders to be addressed in the situational report.

2.to prepare the draft Roadmap to Accelerate and Scale-up Actions to Reduce the Impact of Air Pollution on Health in the South-East Asia Region which includes short, medium and long-term practical measures to accelerate actions to reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by air pollution in terms of the following pillars or areas of focus:

• scaling-up primary prevention;
• building cross-sectoral action, governance, and political support;
• strengthening the health sector’s role; and
• enhancing the evidence base and risk communication to produce local evidence-based interventions.

Both reports namely (a) draft situational report on air pollution and health and (b) draft Roadmap to Accelerate and Scale-up Actions to Reduce the Impact of Air Pollution on Health in the South-East Asia Region will be presented and discussed at the Regional Meeting on Pollution and Health to be held in Maldives, 13-16 March 2023.

If needed, the proposed consultant will need to travel to this Regional Meeting to assist Regional Adviser Air Pollution, Environmental Health and Chemical Safety (AEC) in presenting the two reports, conduct consultation with Member States of WHO-SEARO and other relevant stakeholders of the Situational Report and Draft Roadmap; obtain and incorporate final comments and inputs and prepare the (a) final Draft Situational Report on Air Pollution and Health in Member States; and (b) final Draft Roadmap to Accelerate and Scale-up Actions to Reduce the Impact of Air Pollution on Health in the South-East Asia Region.

Deliverables

Deliverable 1

the consultant is expected to prepare deliverable 1 – a draft situational report on air pollution and health in eleven Member States of the WHO South-East Asia which covers amongst others, the following aspects or questions:

• The level of air pollution in eleven Member States of WHO, South-East Asia namely: (1) Bangladesh; (2) Bhutan; (3) Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; (4) India; (5) Indonesia; (6) Maldives; (7) Myanmar; (8) Nepal; (9) Sri Lanka; (10) Thailand; and (11) Timor Leste – how much we know and how much we don’t know;
• Information on the health impacts of air pollution in eleven Member States of WHO-SEAR (as listed above) – how much we know and how much we don’t know;
• Information on legal, institutional, financial and human resources to deal with air pollution and the health management caused by air pollution in eleven Member States of WHO-SEAR;
• Other aspects after consultation with consultation with the Regional Adviser Air Pollution, Environmental Health and Chemical Safety (AEC) and relevant stakeholders to be addressed in the situational report. The consultant will then conduct informal consultation on the Draft Roadmap with the relevant stakeholders including selected WHO country office focal points; prepare final Draft Roadmap for submission to the Regional Adviser.

Deliverable 2:

• The consultant is expected to prepare deliverable 2 - draft Roadmap to Accelerate and Scale-up Actions to Reduce the Impact of Air Pollution on Health in the South-East Asia Region
• The draft roadmap should include the structure and synopsis; and short, medium and long-term practical measures to accelerate actions to reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by air pollution;
• The consultant will then conduct informal consultation on the Draft Roadmap with the relevant stakeholders including selected WHO country office focal points; prepare final Draft Roadmap for submission to the Regional Adviser.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: Post-graduate degree at Master’s level in Environmental Science or Environmental Studies or Environmental Health or Environmental Engineering or other disciplines which are equivalent.

Desirable:

• PhD degree in Environmental Science or Environmental Studies or Environmental
• Health or Environmental Engineering or other disciplines which are equivalent.

Experience

Essential: proven works in terms of reports or scientific publications in air pollution or air pollution and health for the last five to ten years;

Desirable: working on air pollution or air pollution and health in any Member State of WHO, South-East Asia.

Skills/Knowledge: demonstrated good knowledge or outputs in analysis of air pollution data or air pollution and health data.

Languages and level required:

Advanced English language for scientific reporting

Location

The work will involve collection of secondary and information. Hence, the location of the work will be off-site. However, the consultant will need to travel to the Regional Office for face-to-face discussion and informal consultation with Member States. The on-site and off-site details are as follows:

On-site: New Delhi (15 days) and Male (5 days)

Offs-site: Except for the above periods, the consultant will need to be working from home of residence.

Travel:

As part of consultancy contract, the consultant needs to travel twice as follows:

• 10 days in February 2023 to the WHO-SEARO Regional Office in New Delhi India (excluding the travel period)
• 5 days from 8th March to 12 March 2023 to the WHO-SEARO Regional Office in New Delhi India (excluding the travel period)
• 4 days from 13-16 March 2023 to Maldives to attend the Regional Meeting on Pollution and Health.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

• Remuneration: Band Level B; daily remuneration from USD 350 - USD 499 (for the total period of 60 days depending on the qualification of the selected candidate)
• Living expenses: Per diem will be paid as per WHO rules applicable to international consultant for travel.
• Expected duration of contract: A total working days of 60 days from 23 January to 22 April 2023

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) in English 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.
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• 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.
• 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.