National consultant - Short-term consultancy to conduct a study on the “Vulnerability and adaptation of health care service providers to climate change in Lebanon and lessons learned from CO

Contract

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Background

The project aims to enable Lebanon to prepare, produce and disseminate its Third Biennial Update Report (BUR) and Fourth National Communication to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in order to fulfill Lebanon’s commitments as a Non-Annex 1 Party to the Convention. As part of the activities planned under the Fourth National Communication 4NC, the project aims at updating Lebanon’s vulnerability and adaptation assessment to climate change, with a focus on the health sector amid the COVID-19 crisis. Lebanon experiences, and will continue to face, increased temperatures, more frequent and severe natural disasters related to climate change caused by shifts in temperature, precipitation and water regimes (e.g. heat waves, drought spells, floods and other climate-driven extreme events). Climate change not only has direct impacts on human health but also threatens the capacity of health care delivery services to manage and protect population health (e.g. through the vulnerability and reliability of infrastructure or critical services). Preliminary assessments of the vulnerability of health care delivery services in Lebanon consider the overall adaptive capacity to be low as many of them lack the capacity and resources needed to prepare for and respond to this challenge. The COVID-19 crisis has further exposed these vulnerabilities and highlighted the urgent need for better disaster preparation, strengthened resilience not only to withstand future pandemics but also future threats coming from an unstable and changing climate. In its updated Nationally Determined Contribution to Climate Change (NDC), Lebanon outlines 7 adaptation priorities, which includes: “Ensure overall public health and safety through climate resilient health systems”1. In addition, Lebanon’s National Health and Environment Strategy (2020) recommends to develop the preparedness and response capacity of the public health sector to manage the health effects as the main strategic response to climate change. In line with the NDC and the National Health and Environment strategy, the purpose of this consultancy is to assess the vulnerability of the Lebanon’s health care delivery services and provide guidance to increase the resilience of service providers to current and potential climate threats.

Duties and Responsibilities

By combining findings from background desk review and external and internal consultations with lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis response in Lebanon, the consultant will 1) Assess the vulnerability of health care service providers in Lebanon to climate change 2) Assess the adaptive capacity of health care service providers based on the COVID-19 lessons learned , and 3) recommend priority adaptation measures to build climate resilience of health care service providers. General tasks The tasks mentioned below shall be performed in close cooperation with the UNDP/Climate change team and the Ministry of Environment. The Consultant should report to the UNDP BUR3/4NC Project Manager. Task 1: (15 days) Assess the vulnerability of health care service providers2 to climate change 1.1. Identify current and future climate hazards of concern to Lebanon (ex. Flood, storm, drought, heatwave, wildfire, cold wave, etc.) 1.2. Conduct a vulnerability assessment of health care service providers including but not limited to vulnerability of health workforce, WASH and health care waste management, energy management as well as infrastructure and technologies. 1.3. Identify and assess the potential impacts of climate change on health care facilities (ex. Major, moderate or minor impact of hazard on type of facility and service) 1 Lebanon’s Nationally Determined Contribution, Updated 2020 Version https://climatechange.moe.gov.lb/viewfile.aspx?id=319 2 health care service providers include primary and secondary health care centers, public an private hospitals, ambulatory care providers and emergency medical services 1.4. Consolidate and present information in technical report including data, methodology and results. Task 2: (10 days) Assess the adaptive capacity of health care service providers, using the response to the COVID-19 in Lebanon as an example. 1. Identify the similarities and differences between the COVID-19 and Climate change crises 2. Assess Lebanon’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and draw lessons-learned to better prepare for climate change threats (including the role of early detection/warning, awareness for behavioral change, data collection and analysis, technology, public/private sector role, disaster response planning etc.) Task 3: (15 days) Propose priority adaptation measures to build climate-resilience in health care service providers so that they will be able to anticipate, respond to, cope with, recover from and adapt to climaterelated shocks and stress 2.1 Analyze and describe related climate adaptation projects/interventions in the health sector or any recent or ongoing projects/interventions in the health sector from either domestic or international sources of funding 2.2 Identify current gaps and barriers that challenge service providers’ preparedness to address climate risk and vulnerability. 2.3 Propose priority adaptation measures to prepare and respond to climate risk and ensure that health services’ quality and coverage are maintained despite short-, mid- and long-term climate threats 2.4 Identify 2 priority measures that have positive potential on job creation, poverty alleviation and/or general economic impacts and develop corresponding concept notes for potential funding.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

• High proficiency in Arabic and English languages;
• Demonstrable analytical skills, such as an extensive list of publications, etc.;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills as well as ability to establish and maintain good relationship with stakeholders;
• Excellent facilitation skills; and
• Ability to meet deadlines and prioritize multiple tasks.

Corporate Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Advocates and promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UN;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
• Knowledge of the UN preferable.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in health, public health, environmental health or closely related fields.
• PhD will be considered as an asset.

Experience:

• Local relevant experience of not less than 10 years;
• Extensive knowledge of and experience in Public health systems assessment and national related policies and projects
• Previous experience in preparation of studies, reviews, sectoral recommendations regarding the analysis of vulnerabilities of the health sector and health facilities in Lebanon.
• Knowledge of climate change and implications on health.

How to apply: The consultancy is open for all national consultants who meet the selection criteria and propose a competitive fee. Interested consultants are requested to apply only through this UNDP jobs portal. Submissions through any other media will not be considered. The application must include all of the following documents: 1. P11, 2. Annex 3 (Offerors Letter) and 3. Financial proposal All files shall be submitted in one single document and uploaded as word or PDF file to the UNDP job site. It has been observed that bidders don’t submit all requested documents and thus reducing their chance to be selected for a contract with UNDP. before you submit your offer please revise that the application is complete and comprises all documents. Incomplete applications will not be considered.