Consultancy: Revision of country cholera factsheets in West Africa - UNICEF - WCARO

Cholera is transmitted through food or water contaminated with toxigenic Vibrio cholerae. A 2012 review of cholera’s global burden estimated that 1.4 billion people are at risk for cholera, with 2.8 million cases and 91,000 related deaths in endemic regions annually (Ali 2012). The burden of cholera is disproportionately borne by the young, with children under five having the highest incidence of cholera and contributing almost half of the mortality (Ali 2012). UNICEF is committed to reduce under-five mortality while the West Africa region has shown little progress up to now. Since 2009, the UNICEF regional office pays special attention to cholera issues in the region. Several studies have been realized within the frame of this project so as to better understand the epidemiology of the disease and to feed into risk reduction and response strategies. Country cholera profiles or cholera factsheets were psublished, in 2014, for 9 countries of the West and Central Africa region. The purpose of this work is to update the 12 ones with the recent past outbreaks and/or relevant information, and elaborate 2 new profiles for Sierra Leone and Liberia.

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Purpose of the Assignment

Specific objectives of the consultancy services are listed below:

• Collect, gather and analyze cholera epidemiological data, at least for the past 10 years for new cholera factsheets, and since 2013 for the update ones. Specific attention will be made to collect longer time series at least fifteen (15) years from national surveillance system(s) with the support of UNICEF national offices and ongoing research initiatives;
• Identify additional information on cholera trends, cholera prone areas, surveillance system in place (including lab capacity), WASH services in the at-risk areas identified, specific communities at risk and local practices that can lead to outbreak by reviewing grey and published literature, country databases, semi-structure interviews with key informants (done remotely), including, but not limited to epidemiological, anthropological and molecular biology data;
• Classify Cholera-prone area for operational purposes in collaboration with UNICEF cholera specialists, and the regional cholera experts of UNICEF regional and head quarter offices. Such classification would focus on profiling area/entities favorable for instance to cholera upsurge or where enhanced surveillance and preparedness activities would be most beneficial;
• Define together with UNICEF WCARO (WASH and monitoring & evaluation sections) whether this is relevant to update the layout of cholera factsheet per country;
• Ensure ownership of cholera factsheet by governments and partners at regional and country level by involving them in the review of the outputs; 
• Elaborate the advanced version of cholera factsheets per country, with the support of the regional Information Manager Specialist of WCARO;

Produce an executive summary about cholera epidemiology and strategic activities for cholera prevention and control in the region together with the Junior Epidemiologist and the Geographical Information

Assignment Tasks - Expected Deliverables

The following outputs, final version will be delivered by the 15^th of December 2017:

• Fourteen (14) country and sub-regional profiles on cholera epidemiological indicators and cartographic outputs for the WCA region
• Technical report describing methodologies used and database delivered.
• Executive summary of work performed and its integration in the global efforts towards Cholera prevention and control.

• Original database files (tabular format) with baseline surveys and aggregated statistics, Geographical data collected for the WCA region.

   Qualifications of Successful Candidate

Education

-          At least a Master’s degree in Public health or related fields;

Years of relevant experience

• At least 8 years’ experience in public health with a focus on epidemiology
• Proven experience working in health-related fields in the West and Central Africa Region with a focus on cholera
• Proven experience in the managements of spatial and non-spatial database

-          Fluency in spoken and written English and French

Competencies of Successful Candidate

  SSA-TOR WASH Epi Factsheet 2017-2018 - V3.docxTo view our competency framework, please click here. 

Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable).  Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.

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