Technical Officer (Communicable Diseases)

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education. More about P-4 contracts and their salaries.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

Division Mandate:

To achieve the control of communicable and noncommunicable diseases throughout the Western Pacific Region by targeting the reduction of morbidity and mortality of such conditions and diseases. The division supports integrated people-centred care approaches by strengthening primary health care services for prevention, diagnosis, care and treatment of target diseases and conditions along the life-course, while ensuring to reach the unreached and achieving universal health coverage.

Unit Mandates:

In this role the incumbent will work across the different areas of health systems and together with the following units at Regional Office level:

Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (MTD) - The MTD unit works with Member States and partners to eliminate and control malaria and neglected tropical diseases in the Western Pacific Region. Focus areas of the programme are regional and country adaptation of evidence-based policies and strategies, facilitation of coordinated multisectoral actions, enhancement of intervention and service delivery such as mass drug administration, vector control and case management, engagement and empowerment of communities, and strengthening of monitoring, evaluation and surveillance.

End TB and Leprosy Elimination (ETB) - The ETB unit supports action across government and society in strengthening integrated, people-centred care and prevention of tuberculosis and leprosy in the Western Pacific Region by advocating for bold policies and supportive system, focusing on intensified research and innovation, establishing strong partnerships and strengthening surveillance, monitoring and evaluation.

HIV, Hepatitis and STI (HSI) - The HSI unit supports action across government and society in developing efficient and sustainable multisectoral responses to eliminate HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections as public health threats by 2030 by guiding national strategies and policies towards increasing coverage of quality interventions; coordinating and leading efforts of stakeholders including civil society and affected communities; strengthening health information systems and research for programme and service improvement; and emphasizing integrated and coordinated approaches within the wider health systems.

Vaccine- Preventable Diseases and Immunization (VDI) - The VDI unit works with Member States and partners in making the Region free from vaccine-preventable morbidity, mortality and disability by accelerating, achieving and sustaining control and elimination of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) in the Western Pacific. Focus areas of the programme are strengthening and expanding immunization systems and programmes; strategically managing intelligence on VPDs, vaccines and immunization with surveillance systems and laboratory networks; and preparing for and responding to public health emergencies related to VPDs and immunization programmes.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Provides technical support to the MHMS and National Vectorborne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) covering the following functions:

1. Provides technical support to the Solomon Islands NVBDCP, including scaling up and maintaining vector control activities (insecticide treated net coverage and indoor residual spraying), vector and insecticide resistance surveillance, human resources capacity development, programme planning and monitoring, operational research for malaria elimination (and NTDs);

2. Supports and monitors parasite-based diagnostic and treatment services in all health facilities using microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), including supporting a quality assurance system for both; supports use and adherence to the malaria treatment guidelines, and monitors diagnosis and treatment practices from hospital to community level;

3. Coordinates and technically supports malaria elimination planning, development, guidelines and field operations as per planned operational research strategy and later development and scale up of optimal strategy development of 2-4-7 notification and response plan including use of indoor residual spraying in target areas, community mobilization, regular aggressive cases detection and treatment, programme monitoring and surveillance and gathering evidence to fill knowledge gaps regarding an appropriate elimination strategy;

4. Provides technical support to strengthening the management of medical supplies including forecasting and supply chain and stock management to minimize stock outs of essential medicines and associated treatment consumables;

5. Strengthens health facility reporting, monitoring and data analysis, and supports malaria surveillance and stratification to guide intensified malaria control and elimination interventions, supports routine active case detection in pilot areas;

6. Cooperates with donors, research institutions, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders in controlling and eliminating malaria and NTDs, and supports the Government in partner coordination in order to harmonize technical assistance and programme implementation and to strengthen the national programme as well as the general health services;

7. Collaborates with the Government of the Solomon Islands and provides advice and technical support to national counterparts at various levels, as required, in all aspects of programme planning, organization, implementation, scale-up and evaluation of activities for the control or elimination of NTDs, and other vectorborne and parasitic diseases;

8. Works closely with the national programme and partner counterparts in the preparation of malaria work plans, action plans, budgets, procurement specifications and reports as required by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (The Global Fund), and supports submission of the annual WHO World Malaria Report;

9. Leads the supervision of WHO Communicable Diseases' counterparts (i.e. TB and HIV) to support the coordination, communication, implementation and monitoring of national strategies together with national counterparts and relevant partners and donors, including The Global Fund;

10. Provides technical support for the implementation of the school-based deworming, integrated mass drug administration for elimination of yaws and scabies, and monitoring and evaluation including assistance on preparation and approval of dossiers on validation of elimination.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: Advanced degree in public health, tropical medicine, entomology, malaria or other disease related field. Desirable: University degree in health sciences, medical parasitology, epidemiology or programme monitoring and evaluation.

Experience

Essential: Minimum of seven years' experience in the areas of malaria and communicable diseases, including relevant international exposure/experience. Desirable: Experience in project planning, management, monitoring and evaluation at international level. Experience in vectorborne disease control activities, or in HIV and tuberculosis prevention and control. Working experience in low- and middle-income settings.

Skills

1. Thorough knowledge and understanding of the communicable disease landscape, including malaria, NTDs and other vectorborne and parasitic diseases and their control/elimination.

2. Skills in clinical management, disease surveillance, health situation analysis, strategic thinking, supplymanagement, programme management and evaluation, clinical and operational research and in promotingnational capabilities at all levels.

3. Ability to travel and work in remote field conditions.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences Communication Producing results Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of written and spoken English.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 74,913 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 3352 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an 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.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link: http://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.