Surveillance Officer

Overview

Support surveillance of outbreaks and health emergencies in Zimbabwe

You have:

• Fluency in written and spoken English required.
• Another UN language would be an added advantage.
• First level university degree in medicine, epidemiology, statistics, database management or public health is essential.
• Advanced university degree in public health or related field is desirable.
• At least five years’ related experience in quantitative epidemiology and public health surveillance required.
• Previous humanitarian working experience at field level with WHO or similar organizations is essential.
• Demonstrated knowledge of surveillance and monitoring systems related to emergency response is essential.
• Knowledge of online data collection applications and statistical analysis packages required.
• Working knowledge of GIS mapping software would be an asset.

Contract

This is a No grade contract. More about No grade contracts.

Terms of Reference for Surveillance Officer, WHO Zimbabwe

1. Proposed grade: NOB SSA ROSTER PURPOSES ONLY

2. Expected duration: Six Months

3. Rationale:

   1. Purpose of the Position: In the context of the WHO Health Emergencies Incident Management System, at the Zimbabwe country level, the incumbent will support technical activities directed towards surveillance of outbreaks and health emergencies, scale up the implementation of evidence-based interventions, facilitate policy and decision-making processes through improved health information coverage, analysis and quality throughout the full cycle of the incident. Incumbent is expected to work very closely with provinces in supporting them in preparedness and response activities to public health emergencies.
   2. Background: Zimbabwe has been responding to the COVID-19 pandemic since the first case was reported in March 2020. This is being done through ten public health pillars of the response. WHO supports the country response through all the pillars and works closely with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and partners across civil society, bilateral partners, donors, private sector and the UN agencies. The Surveillance Officer will provide key technical leadership in the areas of surveillance, preparedness and response within the context of the WCO incident management system and as an integral part of the national COVID-19 response mechanism.

4. Assigned/expected duties/work to be performed:

Reporting to the WHO Representative, and under the overall guidance of the Incident Manager, the incumbent will act as the focal point for expert advice on case management and provision of essential services within the case management pillar of the response. S/he will provide support to the WHO Country Office (WCO), the Ministry of Health and Child Care and partners to improve the provision of appropriate clinical and nursing care to patients relevant to COVID-19 and other specific diseases or hazard/emergency that may occur.

Reporting to the WHO Representative, and under the overall guidance of the Incident Manager, and working closely with counterparts at the respective regional office and HQ, the incumbent will act as the technical expert for the surveillance programme. S/he will provide technical oversight for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of public health policies and programmes pertaining to surveillance of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases particularly those with epidemic and pandemic potentials. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with relevant technical officers at the national level and subnational levels. The incumbent may be deployed to support provinces in their overall work in preparedness and response to public health emergencies.

1. 1. Outputs:
2. Develop and/or appropriately adapt surveillance guidelines, tools and indicators for effective disease surveillance at the national, subnational and community levels.
3. Coordinate and manage surveillance technical activities and programs, within the context of the outbreak and health emergencies programme at the country level.
4. Facilitate the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) activities including participation in the process of verification and risk assessment on reported public health events.
5. Strengthen the capacities of surveillance teams for the effective and sustained surveillance of epidemic prone diseases through training, on field investigation, detection, data management, and rapid response to epidemics and health outbreaks.
6. Conduct, in collaboration with other team members, real-time analysis of outbreak intelligence data, from a broad range of sources including non-health sectors, for epidemic forecasting and detection.
7. Promote the effective coordination for rapid assessment, surveillance and response activities for epidemic-prone diseases in consultation with other Country Office programmes, Regional Office and HQ as well as local, regional and national health entities and other international health partners including UN agencies and NGOs.
8. Analyse, systematize, and disseminate scientific and evidence-based technical information and knowledge; support the development of the WHO Situation Reports, other related regular and ad- hoc surveillance reports.
9. Undertake regular field supportive supervision visits to assess and evaluate the implementation of surveillance activities, identify gaps and recommend corrective actions based on key performance indicators.
10. Work as provincial focal point, if assigned, to provide broad support in preparedness and response activities at provincial level and liaising with all partners at that level

11. Perform any other incident-specific related duties, as required by the functional supervisor.

12. 2. Deliverables:

13. A functioning surveillance system, including case investigation, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine, set up and supported in liaison with MOHCC and other partners;

14. Surveillance guidelines, SOPs and tools developed for the COVID-19 response and other public health emergencies;

15. Health care workers trained in surveillance, preparedness and response at all levels including community;

16. Support clinical audits, including mortality audits, mortality data analysis and vaccination data analysis;

17. Surveillance reports and updates produced;

18. Technical supervision

19. The WHO Representative

20. The Incident Manager

21. Recruitment profile

22. 1. Language:
23. Fluency in written and spoken English

24. Another UN language would be an added advantage

25. 2. Education:
26. Essential: First level university degree in medicine, epidemiology, statistics, database management or public health from an accredited/recognized institute.

27. Desirable: Advanced university degree in public health, quantitative epidemiology or health related field. Specialized training in communicable diseases.

28. 3. Experience:
29. At least five years’ related experience, at the national and/or international levels, quantitative epidemiology and the implementation of public health surveillance, outbreak investigation and response in humanitarian settings.

30. Prior humanitarian working experience at field level with WHO, other UN agencies, health cluster partners, recognized humanitarian organizations or with an international nongovernmental organization with expertise in disaster and outbreak response.

31. 4. Skills and competencies
32. Demonstrated knowledge of surveillance and monitoring systems as related to emergency response relief operations, complemented by skills in the field of epidemiological or statistical data collection, assessment, analysis and the evaluation and monitoring in a public health context.
33. Proven ability to multitask across various planning and implementation processes within a highly demanding environment.
34. Demonstrated knowledge, competency and professional skills on the public health aspects of infectious disease control, epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response with particular attention to application of an all-hazard approach in the context of the International Health Regulations and the use of event based and indicator based surveillance, as well as descriptive epidemiology and principles of public health in communicable disease surveillance and response.
35. Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
36. Working knowledge of online data collection applications, statistical analysis packages (Stata, SPSS, etc).

37. Working knowledge of GIS mapping software (or similar) would be an asset.

38. Place of assignment

Incumbent will be based in Harare at the WHO Country Office with travel to the provinces and districts of the country as required.

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

REMUNERATION IN USD

CIGNA

MONTHLY

COST

COST FOR SIX MONTHS IN USD

3924

494

4418

26508

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 4 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: who.int