National Consultant - Sentinel Site Surveillance and Data Manager, National Influenza Program

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Thursday 2 Mar 2023 at 22:59 UTC

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Purpose of consultancy

The purpose of this expression of interest is to hire a consultant to perform the role of Sentinel Site surveillance manager, who will coordinate Influenza surveillance in IGMH (NIC), including reporting, communicating with medical personnel, sample collection, data collection, and entry along with the record maintenance at central and sentinel site levels. The consultant will also assist in other active surveillance activities and laboratory surveillance to implement the activities to support and strengthen Influenza program at HPA, in line with the WHO Global Influenza Strategy.

Background

Influenza occurs all over the world, with an annual global attack rate estimated at 5%-10% in adults and 20%-30% in children. Whereas in temperate climates outbreaks are experienced mainly during the winter season. influenza occurs more unpredictably in tropical regions (WHO, 2022). Acute Respiratory infections (ARls) account for the highest infectious disease burden in the Maldives, with 2 outbreaks on average in each over the past few years.

Maldives being a popular tourist destination and having extensive international travel among Maldivians as well, is in a unique position as a human 'mixing bowl' for influenza viruses. About 8,000 Maldivians travel to Saudi Arabia each year for Hajj and Umra pilgrimage. Pilgrims spend about one month on average in Saudi Arabia. Although we do not routinely collect data on illnesses during pilgrimage, there are verbal reports that the majority of pilgrims develop some form of respiratory illness during the period of stay, and most are symptomatic event on return. Pilgrims travelling for Hajj and Umra from Maldives are required to be vaccinated for influenza.

Influenza surveillance in Maldives is embedded in the common surveillance system for ARl's. The surveillance of influenza is not yet well established and is a long-awaited requirement for the communicable disease surveillance system. Henceforth, it is extremely important to build our national capacity to strengthen Influenza surveillance in the Maldives.

This proposal aims to continue the support for the routine influenza surveillance work carried out by the Health Protection Agency in collaboration with the national influenza lab and WHO. Since the beginning of surveillance activities in the Maldives, this activity was supported by the CDC and has been crucial to maintaining testing, capacity building, and reporting on WHO's FluNet and FlulD.

The main component of this request is to build capacity and maintain the human resources support to carryout surveillance activities in line with the Global influenza strategy (2019-30) in SEA region.

Scope of Work

  • Collect and collate data on total number of patients who meet the ILI and SARI case definition from OPDs and also count the total number of OPD cases seen every day or on a weekly basis.
  • Ensure sample collection of ILI patients from OPD, wards and ICU in IGMH
  • Coordinate with atoll hospitals and health centers in collecting ILI and SARI samples
  • Maintenance of influenza database and analysis of data
  • Preparation and dissemination of results with the public health units
  • Formulation of weekly reports and sharing with all stakeholders and sentinel sites
  • Weekly compilation of laboratory report on all communicable disease
  • Weekly update of data on FluNet and FluID
  • Assist in organizing training workshops and other activities under the project
  • Communicate with media and other stakeholders for project related activities
  • Meet with regular reporting requirements by CDC and WHO
  • Travel for trainings and inspections required – out of Male’
  • Contribute to all activities carried out at Public Health Preparedness, Surveillance and Epidemiology division
  • Any additional relevant work assigned by supervisor

Deliverables

  • Maintained regular surveillance to detect and respond to outbreaks.
  • Ensure timely preparation and dissemination of results with the public health units.
  • Updated influenza database maintained.
  • Assisted in conducting/facilitating capacity building training for pandemic preparedness by implementing simulation exercises at 3 atolls.
  • Monthly progress reports and financial reports submitted as required to WHO and HPA before 31st of every month.
  • Regular reporting to WHO and CDC aligned with the requirements (Flunet, FluID, etc.) completed.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

Diploma in Primary Health Care, Public Health, or medical laboratory science

OR

Bachelor’s degree in Primary Health Care, Public Health, or medical laboratory science

Desirable:

Master's Degree in Primary Health Care, Public Health or medical laboratory science

Experience

Essential:

  • Experience in Disease Surveillance and maintenance of data
  • Minimum of 1-2 years’ work experience in the relevant field

Desirable:

  • Experience or expertise in working at atoll and island level in coordination with HPA and WHO.
  • Experience working with government institutions and civil society organizations

Skills/Knowledge:

  • Fluent computer skills in MS Excel/MS Access/MS PowerPoint is a must. Skills at graphic designing will be an advantage.
  • Familiarity with facilitating trainings and M&E is desirable.
  • Ability to plan, prioritize and deliver of time along with excellent communication skills.
  • Ability to work within given time period and deliver work on time with outstanding quality

Languages and level required (Basic/Intermediate/Advanced):

Excellent Fluency in spoken and written Dhivehi and English

Location

On site: Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), Male’, Republic of Maldives

(Overall supervision will be done by Director of the Public Health Preparedness, Surveillance and Epidemiology Division of Health Protection Agency)

*Preference will be given to individuals based in the Maldives as this is a local consultancy.

Travel

Travel maybe required as per the trainings and supervision and monitoring needs of the National Influenza Programme

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

  • Remuneration: MVR 16,962 per month for 11 months duration of consultancy
  • Expected duration of contract: 11 months (February –December 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.
  • 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 are 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.
  • This assignment is subject to local recruitment and will be filled by persons recruited in the local commuting area of the duty station/assignment location.
Added 1 year ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: who.int