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Consultant - Safe health facilities

Anywhere

  • Organization: WHO - World Health Organization
  • Location: Anywhere
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
    • Architecture, Building and Property Management
  • Closing Date: Closed

Purpose of consultancy

To provide technical guidance to the work of WHO, specifically 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 support the responsible officer with the implementation of safe health facility activities intended for countries, communities, WHO, partners and the international community.

The consultant may be required to travel 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 be responsible for 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: Guidance for adaptation of safe health facilities initiative in humanitarian settings, fragility, conflict, and violence (FCV)

Deliverable 1.1: Collection of concrete examples and case studies of all hazards risks in health facilities in humanitarian settings and FCV countries

by end of the first 2 weeks

Deliverable 1.2: Analysis of available reports and assessment data from health facilities

and develop set of recommendation to be used as global guidance for health facilities safety and preparedness for all hazards including epidemic and pandemic

by end of the first month

Deliverable 1.3: Organize a technical consultation to validate and finalize the guidance

for future health facilities resilient to all hazards emergency including pandemic based on experiences from COVID-19 pandemic and other disaster risks

by end of the 4th month

Deliverable 1.4: Develop Dissemination plan for the guidance including piloting and roll- out strategy

by end of the 4th month

Output 2: Contribute to the implementation of safe hospital and health facility for the assessment in Cox’s Bazar Refugee Camp

Deliverable 2.1: Finalize the draft operational guidance for the assessment

by end of the 1st month

Deliverable 2.2: Learning package for the use of the assessment tools

by end of the 2nd month

Deliverable 2.3: A case study on this assessment

by end of the 3rd month

Output 3: Provide technical guidance to the implementation of health facilities safety and preparedness in the countries

Deliverable 2.1: Training package on safe health facilities

by end of the 5th month

Deliverable 2.2: Update the safe hospital portfolio for the countries

by end of the 6th month

Deliverable 2.3: Monitorthe safe hospital app and develop an analytical report

by end of the 6th month

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

University degree in Medicne and Advanced university degree in public health, hospital administration or health sciences.

Desirable:

Training in the field of emergency/disaster management, hospital administration, public health, patient safety, infection prevention and control or related field.

Experience

Essential:

At least 7 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:

  • Understanding of relevant international, regional and national contexts on health and emergencies.
  • Ability to work under pressure adapting to the current pandemic measures with the ability to produce results and meet deadlines
  • 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
  • Proficency 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

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 B
USD 7,000 - 9,980 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: 1 /01/2022 End date: 30/06/2022

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
This vacancy is now closed.
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