National Biomedical Engineers-Consultant

1. Purpose of the Consultancy

The purpose of the consultancy is to collaborate with the WHO Country Offices in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office in support of identified countries with oxygen and biomedical needs assessment and technical advice to increase oxygen access within the COVID-19 response.

2. Background

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, affordable and sustainable access to oxygen has been a growing challenge in resource limited and complex emergency countries in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). COVID-19 has put huge pressure on health systems, with hospitals in many resource limited countries running out of oxygen, resulting in preventable deaths.

Although vast work has been done in the medical oxygen ecosystem over the years, especially in its safe production and clinical use, it remains limited in its access and availability in many countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted this inequity. Access to medical oxygen in such settings is limited due to cost, infrastructure, logistical barriers, and in EMR, insecurity. Health facilities often cannot access the oxygen they require, resulting in the unnecessary loss of lives. During the COVID-19 response, the major challenge for WHO in support of oxygen is a lack of baseline information on oxygen resources in a country. Without having such an “O2 capacity mapping”, it will remain challenging to deliver efficient and timely support to meet the urgent needs of oxygen in complex emergency countries.

In summary, in order to address oxygen needs and gaps, develop contextualized solution and then procurement, and installation and commissioning, the foremost urgent action is to develop a current oxygen production capacity mapping. Presumably the O2 mapping will lead to not only a better understanding of gaps in availability of medical oxygen, but also a plan to expand access. Associated with that WHO plans to develop fit-for-purpose approaches to filling the gaps in medical oxygen and build capacities and train health care workers in it use. The mapping of 9 countries (area) will be prioritized, their overall oxygen capacity is yet unknown and undocumented, while their oxygen scarcity requires urgent interventions.

O2 mapping of 9 priority countries (area): Iraq, Libya, Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt), Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen

Upon identification of one national biomedical engineer per above-listed country, the incumbent under the overall guidance of the WHO Representative and the focal person in WHO Country Office, EMRO IMST Clinical Management and Headquarters will provide technical support in Oxygen data collection between 15 September and 15 November 2021 for 2 months, followed by development of Oxygen scale up plan for the country. During the entire period of contract, the consultant is expected to provide technical support in the procurement, installation and maintenance of medical equipment supplied to various healthcare facilities by WHO, Ministry of Health and partners, training medical and other technical personnel, and providing technical advice on the correct use of medical equipment at the request of Ministry of Health / partners in coordination with, supporting and mentoring the biomedical counterpart in the Ministry of Health.

3. Planned timelines: 6 Months assignment (subject to confirmation)

Start date: 01/11/2021

End date: 14/03/2022

4. Work to be performed

Output 1: Conduct the Oxygen capacity data collection from facilities and suppliers, ensure to capture the baseline oxygen production capacity and oxygen supply system in assigned country.

Output 2: Report the collected data to the responsible officers in WHO country office and EMRO.

Output 3: Establish a close communication and collaboration with Ministry of Health and partners.

Output 4: Based on the assessment in the Oxygen mapping, support estimation of Oxygen demand and gap in assigned country.

Output 5: Based on the assessment in the Oxygen mapping, provide technical advice to development of a fit-for-purpose Oxygen scale up plan for assigned country including technical support to the national, subnational or health facility level to plan their oxygen supply system, from the oxygen source to the patient delivery device.

Output 6: Based on the assessment in the Oxygen mapping, contribute to the development of bundles to ensure long term operations of the equipment, training gaps, IPC measure gaps, maintenance gaps. Plan a strategy and cost.

Output 7: Train healthcare workers in oxygen and biomedical equipment use.

Output 8: Identify the medical equipment and necessary additional components requirements as requested by MoH / partners and define and advise WHO on the installation constraints of equipment related to works.

Output 9: provide technical advice on the correct use of medical equipment, Equipment installation / repair / maintenance completion reports and certification.

Output 11: Submit an Assignment completion report at the end of the consultancy

5. Technical Supervision

The selected Consultant will work on the supervision of:

6. Specific requirements

- Qualifications required:

University degree in Bio-Medical Engineering or in other fields of Engineering, Masters degree would be an Asset.

- Experience required:

At least five (5) years professional experience in preparation and/or oversight of medical equipment condition assessment and specifications for hospitals including installation, commissioning large scale maintenance networks of biomedical and hospital equipment (patient ventilators, monitors, oxygen concentrators, central oxygen supply setups, etc.).

Work experience in WHO, other UN or another international public health organization will be an asset (desirable).

- Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

Excellent skills in technical analysis, installation and maintenance of various types of medical equipment

Excellent communication and presentation skills with the 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.

Good computer skills in Microsoft Office applications

- Language requirements:

Excellent knowledge of Arabic and English

7. Place of assignment

At the WHO Country Office , Sudan

8. Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

9. Travel

The Consultant is expected to intermittent travel to provinces and districts when needed and feasible.