SSA- Rural Community Malaria Surveillance & Response Assistant

Background

Sanma Province remains the highest-burden malaria province in Vanuatu, consistently accounting for a substantial share of national malaria cases over the past 3–4 years. Assessments indicate that the main contributing factor is the shortage of adequately trained personnel to cover the province’s large geographic area, compounded by transportation challenges and the wide distribution of health facilities. To address these gaps, deploying knowledgeable personnel in each selected Area Council for a defined period (one year) would significantly strengthen timely malaria case notification, investigation, and response. These personnel would also support vector control activities, including LLIN distribution and delivery of targeted health education in high-risk areas

Job Description

1. Malaria Line Lists: Collect, verify, and compile complete malaria case data from assigned health facilities in a timely and accurate manner to support routine surveillance and reporting.

   Deliverable: Malaria Line Lists compiled, quality checked, and submitted to the Provincial Malaria Information Office by the agreed deadline for DHIS2 entry.

2. Case Investigation and Classification: Conduct comprehensive case investigations for all confirmed malaria cases to determine origin of infection, transmission risk, and appropriate response actions.

   Deliverable: Completed case investigation and classification reports for 100% of confirmed malaria cases, including immediate notification and documentation of all imported cases.

   
    

3. 1-7-14 Follow-Up Monitoring: Support timely case detection and reporting, case investigation and foci investigation and response within 1, 7, 14 days, respectively.

   Deliverable: Documented 1-7-14 days, follow-up records for all eligible cases.

   
    

4. Stock Monitoring of Malaria Commodities: Monitor availability and consumption of malaria diagnostic and treatment commodities across assigned health facility catchments to prevent stock outs and inform resupply.

   Deliverable: Monthly stock monitoring report covering ACTs, Primaquine, RDTs, and G6PD test kits/strips for all assigned facilities, submitted with flagging of shortages or risks.
    

5. Participation in Malaria Elimination Activities: Actively support and participate in planned malaria elimination interventions at community and facility level to strengthen programme implementation.

   Deliverable: Participation report documenting involvement in LLIN distributions, supervisory visits, trainings, and other malaria elimination activities.
    

6. Community Engagement and Awareness: Engage communities and local leaders to raise awareness, promote prevention behaviours, and support early detection and treatment of malaria.

   Deliverable: Community engagement summary outlining awareness sessions conducted, meetings held with community leaders, populations reached, and key prevention and elimination messages delivered.
    

7. Monthly Activity Reporting: Consolidate surveillance, investigation, response, and community engagement data into a coherent summary to inform programme monitoring and decision making.

   Deliverable: Monthly activity report submitted to the Malaria Information Officer, summarizing case numbers, investigation outcomes, case classifications, follow up status, response actions, and key challenges.
    

Educational and experience requirements:

Education

Essential: Completion of secondary school, or technical diploma/training in Malaria control activities, communicable diseases, public health or other relevant health-related fields.
Desirable: University degree in public health, epidemiology, medical entomology or parasitology, biostatistics, or other relevant health-related fields.

Experience

Essential: At least 1 to 2 years of relevant work experience in vector-borne diseases control.
Desirable: Working experience in health-related fields, as well as in project or programme work plan design and implementation at the national level in governmental or international organizations, would be an asset. 

Technical skills and knowledge

• Strong risk communication and community engagement skills, proficiency in report writing and computer skills (Microsoft Word, Excel and information management, including data base entry and information retrieval).
• Good knowledge of the community where SSA will be posted will be an advantage.

• Knowledge of WHO mandate and goals or experience in UN Organizations, international institutions or NGOs is considered an asset.

  
   

Competencies

1. Communication
2. Fostering Integration and Teamwork
3. Producing Results
4. Knowing and managing yourself
5. Respecting and Promoting Cultural Differences
    

Languages

Essential: Fluency in English and Bislama required.

Location: 

Sanma Province, Vanuatu 
The SSA is expected to be from, and working in, the following areas:

• Big Bay Coast Acrea Council

• North-West Santo Area Council

• South Santo Area Council 1 & 2

• West Santo Area Council.

Travel

The SSA is expected to travel within the area council of posting to fulfill his/her roles and responsibilities, and to other parts of the province as and when required.  SSA is expected to be fit and in good health and be able to travel some distance away from their workstations for conducting malaria activities

Details of the proposed position:

• Salary for this role will start from Band D, T1.1: VUV 730,000 to VUV 1,521,000, based on qualifications and experience.
• Duration of the contract: 12 months initially, with potential extension.
• This role is subject to local recruitment and will be filled by Vanuatu nationals recruited in the local commuting area of the duty station.

Additional Information

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted. 
• A written test/interview 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. 
• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits workforce regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics. The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs. Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int 
• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. 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 (https:// www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) 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 short-listed candidates. 
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco. 
• SSAs shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. 
• WHO shall have no responsibility for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the SSA. The SSA shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the SSA in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the SSA shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO. 
• Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int. 
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