National Observatory for New and Emerging Diseases (ONMNE)

1. Area of expertise

National Observatory for New and Emerging Diseases (ONMNE)

2. Purpose of consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to strengthen the public health surveillance of COVID-19 through the implementation of integrated disease surveillance, with a focus on the reinforcement and the scaling up of the event-based surveillance (EBS) in Tunisia.

3. Background

The COVID-19 pandemic denoted major challenges to the health and well-being of communities, resilience of health systems, stability of national economies, and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The outbreak is a fast-changing crisis, where trusted sources of health information are essential for successful response and management of the crisis at the national and international level.

Currently, epidemiological surveillance in Tunisia relies on different systems implemented by different stakeholders.

These systems relying on a regular collection of data and building of indicators (Indicator-Based Surveillance - IBS) are characterized by significant underreporting, lack of implication from certain sectors (private sector and hospital services), and delay in reporting.

Responsibilities as well as how the information should be shared are not clearly defined. There is no unique IT platform to support the collection, storage, analysis, and dissemination of surveillance data, and intermediate and peripheral levels of the health system are most often not computerized.

In Tunisia, the National Disease Surveillance and Response system integrates an Event-based surveillance (EBS) which complements the IBS component for an efficient Early Warning function, but it is not fully capacitated.

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, the country realized the urgent and consistent need for a well-integrated disease surveillance system with a strengthened EBS. This need was supported by a recommendation of the COVID-19 Intra-Action Review that was conducted by WHO in November 2020. Hence, decision has been taken to implement Integrated Disease Surveillance with a focus on the strengthening of the existing EBS component, particularly in expanding the sources of information and making it more structural and functional in the country, to improve the sensitivity of the national surveillance system

4. Deliverables

**Tasks***:*

1. Develop an EBS work plan in coordination with ONMNE
2. Review the current structure of the surveillance system in Tunisia and Identify EBS priorities in collaboration with ONMNE and all stakeholders
3. Facilitate a multisectoral advocacy stakeholder meeting and raise country’s awareness on EBS
4. Mapping of EBS information sources and flux of information in Tunisia
5. Update the EBS guideline/SoP's for each of the EBS priority information sources in Tunisia (community, health facility, laboratories, veterinary services, media, and others)
6. Customize EBS training materials according to the context of Tunisia
7. Identify and train ONMNE mentors (at least 2) on EBS; in collaboration with EMRO (HIM)
8. Identify pilot sites for EBS implementation
9. Train staff at identified pilot sites on EBS guidelines
10. Propose the legal framework implementation of EBS in Tunisia in collaboration with other sectors

Deliverables:

• Work plan for EBS implementation developed
• A report on the current structure of the surveillance system in Tunisia with EBS priorities produced
• EBS guidelines/ SOPs revised and shared with stakeholders for endorsement.
• EBS training materials reviewed and customized to the Tunisian context.
• Training of 2 ONMNE mentors on EBS conducted.
• Pilot sites for EBS implementation identified.
• Training of pilot sites staff conducted

5. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

(Identify the educational qualifications and expertise needed for the terms of reference outlined above.)

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: Minimum first university degree for lower end of range, Master’s degree for mid and high end of range in preventive Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or pharmacology.

Desirable: Master’s Degree, PhD in Public Health, Epidemiology, or related Field, or FETP graduate

Experience

Essential: From 5 to 10 years of experience in epidemiology, surveillance, or related fields.

o Experience in setting up event-based surveillance system.

Desirable: Good understanding of the main principles of epidemiological intelligence in public health are important assets.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Demonstrated ability to interact in complex situations involving technical, cultural, and political elements
• Sound analytical and organizational skills
• Demonstrated knowledge of surveillance issues and emerging diseases in an international context.

Languages and level required (Basic/Intermediate/Expert)

● Languages and level required: Expert knowledge of French (Read–Write–Speak)

● Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of English (Read–Write–Speak)

6. Location

The work is expected to be carried out from the National Observatory of New and Emerging Diseases (ONMNE), and the consultant is expected to work closely with the EWARS team at the ONMNE and WCO TUN and WHE/HIM unit in EMRO, Cairo.

7. Travel

This is an international consultancy, and the selected candidate will be expected to travel to Tunisia and to some governorates inside the country.

8. Medical clearance

The selected consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

9. Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

   1. Remuneration: Pay band “B”
   2. Expected duration of contract: 45 days within this period: 01 May 2022 - 31 August 2022

   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) 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 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.