Public Health officer

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.

The World Health Organization works with its Member States to (1) achieve universal coverage, (2) protect people from emergencies and (3) make sure that people enjoy better health and wellbeing. The Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO) supports its 22 Member States towards this objective. The department of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Communicable Diseases (DCD) works towards implementation of a UHC approach to the control, elimination or eradication of communicable diseases, including malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, STIs, Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and vaccine preventable diseases. It also includes two cross cutting technical units working on antimicrobial resistance and on public health laboratory services. The United Nations Volunteers will work in the Director’s office to provide support to the scientific work, with a focus of coordinating and integrating the contribution of the different technical units into a consistent vision. While some of the tasks are ancillary in nature, they would provide exposure to WHO policy issue in contest where the feedback from the Director would be an excellent development opportunity for a junior graduate.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Dr Yvan Hutin, Director, UHC/DCD or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UNV Public Health Officer will:

•Assist the Director’s office in the triaging and sorting of the various technical requests to the Department as to identify the level of priority and seniority needed to handle them. •Prepare communications from the Director’s office to the technical units as to facilitate transmission of technical requests to the team in a way that facilitates the work of the technical unit and adds value. •Consolidate input from the technical unit to the Director’s office as to integrate into a framework consistent with DCD vision. •Draft communication from the Directors’ office, including emails, concept notes, and slide presentations under the guidance of the director. •Assist in the maintenance of the database of deliverables for the department of UHC DCD . •Facilitating the coordination of cross cutting initiatives within UHC-DCD.

As an active EMRO/DCD team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to WHO/EMRO and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: 1. achieving universal coverage, 2. protecting people from emergencies 3. making sure that people enjoy better health and wellbeing.

• Professionalism • Integrity • Teamwork and respect for diversity • Commitment to continuous learning • Communication • Flexibility • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement,

public health at the national or international level. Experience in WHO or UN Agencies would be an asset. •Proficiency in MS Office applications and other analytical tool/ software. •Excellent analytical and organizational skills combined with ability to multi-task and produce accurate results under pressure. •Ability to efficiently write and synthesize information in a clear and concise manner. •Ability to clearly and articulately present concepts and procedures. •Ability to interpret policy and apply correctly. •High level of integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise judgment with respect to sensitive information.

The duty station will be Cairo, which is a family duty station with a wide range of services (health, education and leisure) and good living conditions. Cairo (and Egypt) has long been a centre of the region’s political and cultural life, with high levels of tourism. Like other similar cities, Cairo offers good quality of life in terms of access to shopping centres, banks, medical services, educational facilities, cultural events, etc. The Arab Republic of Egypt has a unique geographical position in Northeast Africa, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, on the Mediterranean and Red Sea, and its connection to Sub Saharan Africa through the Nile Valley. The country is defined by desert and the Nile, the longest river on Earth. Egypt is bordered by the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Gulf of Aqaba to the east, the Red Sea to the east and south, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west. With over 90 million inhabitants, two-thirds of which are below 30 years, Egypt is Africa's third most populous country after Nigeria and Ethiopia and has the highest population in the Arab world's most densely populated areas, especially in greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta. The country has witnessed significant political and economic changes since 2011. Through this transition, which includes periods of political unrest, the main income sources of the economy have been negatively impacted, particularly in the tourism sector, as well as revenues from the Suez Canal, oil and remittances from Egyptians working abroad, affected by the global economy. However, with the current political stability, tourism is getting improved, and touristic activities are going back to normal. UN staffs are not directly targeted in Egypt and for the most are vulnerable to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is recommended to keep dwell time in the immediate vicinity of military, police and other prominent official installations to the minimum.