Senior Programme Specialist (Cholera Manager), P-5, Fixed Term, Sana'a-Yemen (529106)

In the 2010 update of the Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) is the explicit commitment that appropriate and experienced staff and personnel with relevant deployment training are provided and rapidly deployed, that focus on action in the first eight critical weeks of humanitarian response and provide guidance for action beyond that, moving towards defined benchmarks.

Yemen’s cholera epidemic is currently the largest in the world, which has spread rapidly, with UNICEF and WHO indicating that the reason behind the rapid spread is high rates of malnutrition, food insecurity, collapsing health system, sanitation, and clean water systems which in turn are due to the country's ongoing conflict. The health system is struggling to cope, with more than half of all health facilities closed due to damage, destruction or lack of funds, and shortages in medicines and supplies are persistent and widespread 

In Yemen AWD/ suspected Cholera cases continue to rise, and this month saw the caseload of AWD/suspected cholera cases rise to more than a million people, with 2,237 associated deaths as of 31 December. 99.7 percent of people who became sick with AWD/suspected cholera and who could access health services survived.

Recent data reveal that there has been some decrease in the attack rates in some of the governorates, and an increase in others. Also, the incidence of diarrheal diseases has not been reduced despite this response. This raises questions on the effectiveness of the cholera response and calls for a more in-depth review of the cholera crisis response with a fresh lens, including data accuracy, case definition, and management, testing and quality of the containment and prevention strategies.

Previous UNICEF response brings together Health, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Communications for Development (C4D) in an integrated approach at different intervention levels from household, community, facility and institutional levels to the central level, for a comprehensive public health approach.

The UNICEF Strategy is built on 5 key principles – (i) integration of WASH, Health and Communication response, (ii) partnership and coherence with Health and WASH clusters, (iii) a focused approach on priority districts and hot spots, (iv) address the ongoing outbreak (response and control) and (v) prevention of future outbreak (prevention, preparedness, and health system strengthening)

Under the supervision and direction of the Deputy Representative lead the overall UNICEF Yemen Country Office cholera response and coordinate the Technical Sections including WASH, Health and C4D ensuring integration and coordination of the preparedness, prevention, and response, leading and coordination of implementation and monitoring of the multi-sectoral strategy and plan for cholera, based on a comprehensive assessment, mapping, and analysis of the cholera situation.

Under the supervision and direction of the Deputy Representative lead the overall UNICEF Yemen Country Office cholera response and coordinate the Technical Sections including WASH, Health and C4D ensuring integration and coordination of the preparedness, prevention, and response, leading and coordination of implementation and monitoring of the multi-sectoral strategy and plan for cholera, based on a comprehensive assessment, mapping, and analysis of the cholera situation.

Lead UNICEF’s overall cholera response and coordinate all technical sections within Yemen CO participating in the cholera response ensuring integration, coordination, convergence, complementarity, consistency, etc of the response for ensuring response integrity.   Support the assessment, mapping, and analysis of cholera-specific needs, priorities, and responses for Yemen CO.

• Lead, facilitate, coordinate, etc data collection and analysis in order to better target the integrated response actions.
• Coordinate all Yemen CO technical sections in identifying strategies to ensure that people have information to protect their health and dignity and the means to maintain safe water, sanitation, food hygiene, hygiene practices, etc, identification and treatment for cholera and that they are mobilized to take action to mitigate cholera risks.
• Facilitate all Yemen CO technical sections in identifying needs, disseminating behavioral change communications, distributing supplies / NFIs to support protective practices such as handwashing with soap, water storage, or point of use water treatment and assisting with developing plans to implement and monitor these activities.
• Based on the local context, promote the inclusion of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) in interventions, ensuring that women’s and girls’ special needs are considered and reflected in the response. Support partners to develop plans to achieve this goal.
• Facilitate the development of monitoring plans and ensure that regular gender- and age-disaggregated data is collected, analyzed and used to adapt the cholera preparedness, prevention, and response, in coordination and collaboration with all Yemen CO technical sections.
• Lead the identification of priority technical actions that are feasible for different target groups, establish mechanisms for integration and provide responsible leadership.
• Contribute to the reporting of the sectoral outcomes through the provision of consolidated up-to-date information and reports.
• Facilitate consideration of gender, equity, and diversity in all elements of cholera prevention, preparedness, and response. 
• Where necessary, highlight specific issues for the attention of the Dep Rep to ensure priority and corrective measures are taken.
• Support the national authorities and partners in incorporating cholera prevention and preparedness activities in their long-term development programmes.