Consultant - Laboratory preparedness and readiness for response to bacterial pathogens.

Purpose of consultancy

To provide technical expertise to the work of WHO laboratory preparedness and readiness for response to bacterial pathogens.

Background

Bacterial pathogens pose a major challenge to global public health. Many of the most common epidemic prone diseases are bacterial, including cholera, plague, leptospirosis and meningococcal meningitis. Infections with pathogens that cause these diseases place substantial burdens on health systems and cause significant morbidity and mortality. For example, both Vibrio cholerae and Yersinia pestis have previously been responsible for pandemics and remain endemic in certain regions, with frequent outbreaks. Each year there are up to 4 million of cases of cholera across the world and up to 143,000 deaths, with 3248 cases of plague and 584 deaths reported between 2010 and 2015. In addition, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a global health and development threat and WHO has declared it to be one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity.

Public health laboratories are an essential component of health security as they provide vital support for disease surveillance and outbreak response, patient diagnosis and management, research, and policy formulation. They are responsible for identification and characterization of pathogens with public health significance, such as epidemic and pandemic prone pathogens. Bacterial pathogens have conventionally been detected using microscopy, staining and serology, with molecular techniques such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing becoming more frequently used. However, public health laboratories in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly those in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings, often face challenges including access to tools and supply chains, making routine testing for surveillance activities, response to outbreaks and integration of new technologies difficult to implement. The WHO Lyon Office Public Health Laboratory unit works to strengthen public health laboratory systems throughout the health emergencies preparedness, readiness, response and recovery cycle. This is done through development and implementation of global initiatives, guidance, tools and training, working closely with the 6 regional offices and 152 country offices.

There is a clear need to strengthen of detection and characterization of epidemic prone bacteria across public health laboratories globally, consolidate our understanding, identify key country needs and areas that can be strengthened, and provide support to preparedness, readiness and response activities for bacterial pathogens. This should be done by building on existing knowledge and opportunities, utilizing a thorough review of available materials and methods, and defining minimum standards for public health laboratories for each stage of the response cycle.

Deliverables

Output 1: Review gaps and challenges across laboratory resources for epidemic prone bacterial pathogens across WHO programmes and national public health systems for implementation

• Deliverable 1.1: Map of bacteriology laboratory resources across WHO programmes and national public health systems and gaps and challenges
• Deliverable 1.2: Summary report of review and recommendations on how to address gaps and challenges

Output 2: Review and assess existing and novel methods to support bacterial detection and characterization for epidemic prone pathogens, and contribute to development of training materials

• Deliverable 2.1: Review of existing methods
• Deliverable 2.2: Summary report of assessment, complete with action plan for improvement

Output 3: Define minimum requirements for national public health laboratories to support readiness for detection of epidemic prone bacterial pathogens in LMICs, in general and for disease-specific purposes

• Deliverable 3.1: Results of desk review of existing requirements
• Deliverable 3.1: Draft of minimum requirements for national public health laboratories to support readiness for detection of epidemic prone bacterial pathogens in LMICs, in general and for disease-specific purposes

Output 4: Provide technical input to outbreak and event verification teams and WHO regional offices through development of training materials

• Deliverable 4.1: Proposed package of training materials for laboratory detection of one priority bacterial pathogen

Output 5: Submit the final technical report of the consultancy

• Deliverable 5.1: Final technical report of the consultancy

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

University degree in microbiology or related discipline.

Desirable:

Postgraduate degree (MPH or PhD) in public health, microbiology or infectious diseases.

Experience

Essential:

At least five years’ experience in implementing and monitoring laboratory activities in support of public health and disease prevention and control at the national and international level.

Desirable:

• Experience working in a health emergency setting or supporting surveillance and outbreak response for bacterial pathogens.
• Experience working with WHO.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Proven knowledge in the field of public health laboratory
• Proven knowledge in the field of microbiology, specifically bacteriology
• Capacity to develop high quality, results-oriented reports
• Collaborates effectively
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural and multidisciplinary context
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills
• Excellent writing and presentation skills
• Proficiency in Excel, Word and PowerPoint

Languages required:

Essential:

Expert knowledge of English and French

Desirable:

Intermediate knowledge of another UN official language

Location

Off site: Home-based.

Travel

The consultant may be requested to travel to the WHO Lyon Office (France) and to specific countries to support key activities.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Pay 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 - Additional contracts can be offered based upon funding availability and satisfactory performance

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