National Emergency Health Assistant (COVID-19 Response)

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

Sudan remains one of the world’s largest protracted humanitarian crises with needs increasingly more complex, due to inflation, the economic crisis, poor investment in infrastructure, localised conflicts, on-going protracted displacement and a potential new refugee influx. The increase in fragility , insecurity and vulnerabilities are exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. High mortality figures due to COVID-19 has been reported, with a chronic lack of health care management. Low rates of COVID-19 vaccination amongst the population is still hindering effective coverage to lessen the resulting morbidity and mortality, and the elderly and vulnerable groups. In addition to COVID-19, Sudan faced with multiple disease outbreaks in 2021, 1.6 million malaria cases had been reported by the mid-October 2021, as well as Hepatitis E, thus, all-hazards emergency risk management was required in 2022. IOM Sudan has been working on the prevention of COVID-19 among migrants in coordination with relevant government authorities and other stakeholders. In coordination with other sectors/ department, the successful candidate will assist the health response for COVID-19 as well as other hazards, such as other epidemic-prone diseases. The effort will include the strengthening of infection prevention and control (IPC), and inclusion of the migrants for COVID-19 vaccine.

Under the overall supervision of the Programme Coordinator (Humanitarian and Transition), and the direct supervision of Migration Health Officer (Emergencies), the successful candi-date will support the implementation of IOM Sudan health program activities related to COVID-19 response and other outbreak preparedness and response. The UNV will undertake the following tasks:

1. Assist in the planning, management, supervision, and timely implementation of health activities in support of:

• Ensuring the continuity of quality primary healthcare during the COVID-19 out-break, through mobile teams and/or fixed clinic services for Internally Displaced Person (IDPs), returnees, migrants and other vulnerable groups. • Ensuring the COVID-19 prevention measures and other infection prevention and control (IPC) aspect is integrated to the existing/ new health programmes. • Following up of the procurement, storage and distribution of medicines, PPEs, cleaning materials and medical supplies; maintain an inventory of partners and goods distributed. • Follow up health referrals, facilitate emergency transport to/from nearest health facilities.

2. Participate in/assist mission level multi sectoral assessments providing health technical inputs especially on COVID-19 prevention/management and outbreak preparedness and response.

3. Assist in providing technical inputs and compile information for the elaboration and implementation of migration health risk surveillance strategies and mecha-nisms to strengthen preparedness and response in avoiding and mitigating these risks, including COVID-19.

4. Assist in ensuring strong and regular liaison with relevant counterparts, including the Sudan Ministry of Health (MoH), World Health Organization (WHO), health cluster, UN agencies, and international and national non-governmental organisa-tions working in the health and other relevant sectors.

5. Assist in the monitoring and evaluation of quality of health care provided to IOM beneficiaries and bring to the attention of supervisor the issues with compliance to national and IOM global standards. This will include the monitoring field mission.

6. Provide documentation of health activities implemented including collection of age/sex disaggregated data in line with IOM data protection guidelines, as re-quested.

7. Prepare and submit activity (narrative) reports on project achievements, chal-lenges encountered, pertinent development and strategic needs as needed.

8.   In coordination with other IOM Sudan teams, recommend new programme and project possibilities and support the formulation/development of health specif-ic as well as multi-sector proposals and collection of requested documentation for submission to donors according to IOM project development guidelines and pro-cedures.
   

9.   Perform such other duties as may be assigned.
   

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to: • Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by read-ing relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for in-stance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities; • Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publica-tions/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

☒ Accountability ☒ Adaptability and Flexibility ☒ Building Trust ☒ Client Orientation ☒ Commitment and Motivation ☒ Commitment to Continuous Learning ☒ Communication ☒ Creativity ☒ Empowering Other ☒ Ethics and Values ☒ Integrity ☒ Judgement and Decision-making ☒ Knowledge Sharing ☒ Leadership ☒ Managing Performance ☒ Planning and Organizing ☒ Professionalism ☒ Respect for Diversity ☒ Self-Management ☒ Technological Awareness ☒ Vision ☒ Working in Teams

• Previous experiences working for COVID-19 preparedness and response, especially in the area of infection prevention and control are considered as a strong asset.

Khartoum is considered, relatively, a safe city; the UN staff can move freely within the city and are able to drive and take taxis. Although Sudan is suffering from an economic crisis, most of the daily needs are available in the market and a number of supermarkets have imported goods. Internet provision is good, but there are often power cuts, thus accommodation should come with a back-up generator. UN staff are living in rented houses / apartments in Khartoum and not in UN compounds.