Junior Public Health Professional - Patient Safety and Infection Prevention Control

Terms of reference and JPP Profile

Patient Safety and Infection Prevention Control

Background and Rationale:

Patient safety and Infection Prevention Control are global public health priority and fundamental to the provision of health care in all settings. This has been further accentuated in context of current COVID-19 pandemic. Patient Safety and Infection Prevention Control (IPC) are intertwined. These are practical, evidence-based approaches preventing patients and health workers from being harmed by avoidable infections including hospital acquired infections. Safety and quality of health care is central to achieving Universal Health Coverage. Lack of patient safety including IPC measures have health, social and economic impact. Economic impact is due to resource wastage and loss of productivity. In high-income countries, up to 15% of hospital expenditure can be attributed to wastages due to safety failures. Effective patient safety and IPC require constant action at all levels of the health system, including policymakers, facility managers, health workers and those who access health services.

Duration: Two years

Duty Station: New Delhi, India

Programme/Department:

Department of UHC/ Health Systems and Life Course

Objective of the WHO Programme/Department:

Objective of the Department is to provide technical support to the Member States to strengthen their health systems towards Universal Health Coverage, through equitable access to quality health services. Universal Health Coverage includes the full spectrum of essential and quality safe health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care across the life course. To achieve Universal Health Coverage, WHO has placed a special focus on safe and quality patient care. Patient safety is a fundamental principle of health care and is now being recognized as a large and growing global public health challenge. Without effective patient safety and IPC it is impossible to achieve quality health care delivery and thus Universal health coverage.

Terms of reference

Under the overall guidance of Director, Department of UHC/Health Systems and Life Course and under the direct supervision of Regional Advisor BLT, Patient safety & IPC, the JPP will:

1. Collect, collate and analyze information (assessments) on patient safety, Infection Prevention and Control and quality of health care from SEAR Member States, identify gaps and develop road maps as per country needs to assist in scaling up implementation of regional strategy on patient safety and Global Patient Safety Action Framework (GPSAF).
2. Assist SEAR Member States in making preparation to commemorate World Patient Safety day and Hand Hygiene day every year
3. Collect and analyze information on sepsis and surgical wound infections from SEAR Member States. Identify gaps/ needs of Member States in these areas and map-out required necessary technical support in collaboration with relevant staff from different department (RMNCAH/ WASH/patient safety)
4. Identify COVID 19/ AMR related IPC gaps in SEAR Member States and prepare a plan of country support.
5. Perform any other patient safety and quality surveillance-related duties as and when required by the department

Education:

Essential: Medical doctor (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery)

Desirable: Master's degree in Infectious diseases/ public health from a reputed university

Experience:

Minimum: At least two years of experience in infectious diseases at national level

Desirable: At least one year of work experience at international level in infectious diseases

Age: Below 35 years

Skills required for the assignment:

Minimum:

• Proficiency in spoken and written English;
• Excellent computer skills;
• Strong analytical and research skills;

WHO competencies required for the assignment:

1. Teamwork
2. Communication
3. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
4. Producing results
5. Ensuring the effective use of resources

Remuneration: USD 48,805 per annum

Additional Information

• Please note applications should be submitted through WHO's online recruitment portal. Please visit www.who.int/careers to complete an online profile and to apply to this vacancy.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test / Interview 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.
• The purpose of this vacancy notice is to invite qualified national professionals from member countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand or Timor-Leste
• 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.