Purpose of the Position

In the context of the WHO Health Emergencies Incident Management System (IMS), at the country level, the incumbent will provide technical support to the incident management teams, Ministry of Health (MOH) and other partners in strengthening case management and response activities, overseeing and monitoring implementation care and needs for management of affected populations, throughout the full cycle of the incident.

In the country of assignment, based on priorities set by the WHO Head of Country Office and the Incident Manager, the incumbent will act as the focal point for case management. S/he will provide support to the WHO Country Office (WCO), the Ministry of Health and partners to oversee the provision of appropriate clinical and nursing care to patients.

Summary of Assigned Duties

During deployment, the duty station may change, and duties may be modified, based upon the technical needs of the Programme.

While strictly adhering to the WHO standards, the incumbent will\:

1.     Support incident management with needs assessments and liaise with technical units in establishing needs of the affected population in regard to case management including referral pathways.

2.     Provide technical advice on all issues related to case management, critically reviewing, analysing and using evidence based data for setting up or adapting case management tools, interventions and approaches.

3.     Develop systems and procedures for emergency triage at healthcare facilities.

4.     Support the response teams in instituting appropriate case management measures, provide training to the healthcare workers, hospital management and auxiliaries.

5.     Support to the national and local health authorities to develop and communicate messages with the medical and health communities on clinical features and effective behaviours.

6.     Coordinate with HQ desks and technical unit (Epidemic Clinical Management, WHE/IHM/EXN for outbreaks, and Emergency Medical Teams for other events) and other clinical partners to document clinical features and case management of the patients, identify gaps and recommend corrective actions.

7.     When applicable, contribute to coordination and case management meetings with MoH and clinical partners/EMTs, including case reviews and quality assurance meetings and visits.

8.     Maintain an overview of the health related situation in the country, analyse and synthesise incoming field information on treatment, health facilities, and health workers, ensure that updates are provided on a regular and timely basis to all levels of the response.

9.     Where required, provide technical advice on the establishment/strengthening of isolation facilities based on standard guidelines and principles for infection prevention and control as deemed necessary.

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

Recruitment Profile

Competencies

·         Producing results

·         Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

·         Teamwork

·         Promoting innovation and organizational learning

·         Communication

·         Building and promoting partnerships across the Organization and beyond

Functional Knowledge and Skills

• Excellent communication and presentation skills with ability to write in a clear and concise manner and give technical advice and guidance taking into consideration the views of multiple stakeholders and partners in resource-limited contexts;
• Proven ability to promote consensus, communicate progress and results, and resolve issues in a proactive manner, while ensuring effective work practices and ethics.

Education Qualifications

Essential

- Advanced university degree (Master’s level or above) in the Medicine or Nursing field, depending on the context of the emergency  e.g. emergency medicine, trauma care, surgery, toxicology, infectious diseases, tropical medicine, from an accredited and recognized academic institution.

Desirable

- Qualification in specialised medicine or nursing, Advanced university degree in Public Health. Additional professional training/specialization in health systems, hospital management, training & education, and/or other related area.

Experience

Essential 

- At least seven (7) years practical experience, at the national and/or international levels, in the development, advocacy, planning, implementation of  case management and clinical care activities/infectious diseases in outbreak, disaster or humanitarian emergency.

Desirable

- Experience in epidemiology, research and analysis, and/or the development of training tools and databases for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

- Previous experience with WHO, other UN agencies, Emergency Medical Teams, health cluster partners, recognized humanitarian organizations or nongovernmental organizations is desirable.

Use of Language Skills

- Excellent knowledge of English or French (depending on the country of assignment). Working knowledge of another WHO official language would be an asset.

Other Skills (e.g. IT)

- Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.