Consultant - Implementation and scale-up of the health emergency and disaster risk management (Health EDRM) framework

Purpose of consultancy

To provide technical guidance to the Disaster Risk Management and Resilience (DRR) Unit in the Health Security Preparedness (HSP) Department, towards implementation and scale-up of the health emergency and disaster risk management (Health EDRM) framework, with a focus on advocacy for, analysis, metrics and review of operational guidance on safe hospital and health facilities vis-à-vis the COVID-19 pandemic.

The consultant will provide technical inputs to the area of work on safe hospital and health facilities as guided by the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and the Health emergency and disaster risk management (Health EDRM) framework (WHO, 2019) and as well to meet the current need of pandemic response at health facility level.

The consultant will provide technical and operational support for implementation of safe health facility activities intended for countries, communities, WHO, partners and the international community.

The consultant will work in close collaboration with WHO colleagues across HQ, Regional Offices and partner organizations. The consultant may be deployed to countries, as and when required to provide direct technical support, including for review, field testing and implementation of safe health facility guidance and tool/s.

Background

The mission of the WHO Health Emergencies (WHE) Programme is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations. The WHE Programme is committed to working with Member States and other stakeholders, through the implementation of WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13), specifically towards the goal: “1 billion more people better protected from health emergencies”.

The HSP Department’s role includes the monitoring and evaluation of country preparedness for emergencies and disasters, and to support planning and development of country capacities to support the implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and Health EDRM Framework by applying an all-hazard approach at all three levels of the Organization. The HSP Department provides essential support to WHO's Regional and Country Offices in their efforts to support assessment, monitoring and evaluation of the status of implementation of the IHR (2005) including at the animal-human interface with a focus on the most vulnerable and low capacity countries. This department hosts the Disaster Risk Management and Resilience (DRR) unit.

The DRR unit provides, in close collaboration with WHO’s Regional and Country Offices, support for the implementation of Health EDRM, with a focus on disaster risk management in high-vulnerability, low-resource countries with risk informed actions. The unit's work enables countries to strengthen capacities to reduce risks and impacts of emergencies and disasters particularly in high risk communities, including increasing their capacities for emergency prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. The unit takes an all-hazard, whole-of-government and whole-of society approach to strengthening capacities, aligned with the Health EDRM Framework and health system strengthening in general, to support the implementation of national health policies and plans as well as the IHR (2005), the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and Health EDRM framework aiming to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS).

Health facilities, particularly hospitals, complement and enhance the effectiveness of many other parts of the health system, providing continuous availability of services for acute, chronic and complex conditions along the phases of the emergency cycle. They concentrate scarce resources within well-planned referral networks to respond efficiently to population health needs, especially during emergencies and disasters. They are an essential element of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and will be critical to meeting the SDGs.

In the current COVID-19 pandemic declared as a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January 2020, hospitals have been playing a critical role in reducing COVID-19 transmission and reducing deaths associated with it at the facility level. Specific and evidence base capacities are required to strengthen in the hospitals and other health facilities that need to work closely with communities and as well national emergency preparedness and response mechanism to ensure uninterrupted and optimized round the clock services are provide to the communities.

Deliverables

The consultant will provide technical expertise to the review and development of technical guidance, analysis of the assessment and to support the implementation of hospital and health facility level emergency risk management, and comprehensive recognition of all hazards, decreased exposure of populations, vulnerability reduction and capacity development in a health facility setting. The consultant will collaborate closely with DRR unit members and other departments in WHO HQ, as well as WHO Regional Offices and partners.

The specific outputs and deliverables are as follows:

Output 1: Contribute to the development of a guidance for operationalizing health emergency and disaster risk management framework in countries including FCV and SIDs to support DRR in humanitarian action

• Deliverable 1.1: Desk top review and mapping of existing good practices of risk management in humanitarian settings, FCV countries and SIDs
• Deliverable 1.2: Mapping the existing stakeholders at global, regional and country level to engage in the guidance development
• Deliverable 1.3: Drafting the concept notes for the guidance and organize a technical consultation to discuss, validate and finalize the based-on experiences from COVID-19 pandemic and other disaster risks including climate change impacts
• Deliverable 1.4: developing a learning package on health emergency and disaster risk management

Output 2: Contribute to the development of an operational guidance for implementation of health emergency and disaster risk management in vulnerable communities

• Deliverable 2.1: Desk top literature review of existing documents and mapping all key process and outcomes
• Deliverable 2.2: Drafting and finalizing the guidance in coordination with all relevant stakeholders (both internal and external)
• Deliverable 2.3: Developing an online platform to document good practices ensuring alignment of the guidance to all existing similar documents with effective communication. Drafting, piloting and finalizing the guidance

Expected delivery dates:

• Deliverable 1.1 and 2.1: by the end of first month
• Deliverable 1.2 and 1.3: by the end of second month
• Deliverable 1.4: by the 3rd month
• Deliverable 1.4: by the 4th month
• Deliverable 2.2: by the 5th month
• Deliverable 2.3: by the 6th month

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

Advanced university degree in public health, health sciences, social science, political science.

Desirable:

Training in the field of emergency/disaster management, equity, human rights, gender, health policy, public health, or related field.

Experience

Essential:

Over 10 years of relevant experience at national and international levels (including field experience) in health facility/hospital management, health emergency and disaster risk management, e.g. outbreak/epidemic/pandemic preparedness, health emergency and disaster risk management, community risk reduction, preparedness, operational readiness, response and recovery.

Desirable:

Experience of developing guidance/framework and applying risk and capacity assessment methodologies in the health sector at country level

Skills/Knowledge:

• Ability to work under pressure adapting to the current pandemic measures with the ability to produce results and meet deadlines
• Understanding of relevant global, regional and national contexts on health and emergencies.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, teamwork
• Excellent writing skills
• Knowledge of health emergency and disaster risk management, health systems and UN systems
• Knowledge of WHO’s safe hospital initiative, inclusive of guidance and tools
• Demonstrated ability to work in multicultural and multinational teams
• Capacity to work from a distance with independence and in consultation with WHO supervisors
• Proficiency in MS Office and other relevant software required for guidance and tool development and presentation, access to and understanding of reliable, secure websites

Languages required:

Essential:

Expert knowledge of English

Desirable:

Intermediate knowledge of other UN official languages

Location

Home based – Off-site

Travel

As and when travel is permitted, the consultant may be expected to travel to support field testing of the guidance and/or tool/s developed. Otherwise, the consultancy will be done online using virtual platforms.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Band level C
USD 10,000 - 12,500 per month

Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited):

N/A

Expected duration of contract:

6 months

Start date: 15/12/2021 End date: 15/06/2022

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for 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.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
• Consultants working in Switzerland must register with the applicable Swiss cantonal tax authorities and social security authorities, within the prescribed timeframes (Guidelines issued by the Swiss Mission are available at: https://www.eda.admin.ch/missions/mission-onu-geneve/en/home/manual-regime-privileges-and-immunities/introduction/Manuel-personnes-sans-privileges-et-immunites-carte-H/Non fonctionnaires et stagiaires.html