Public Health Intelligence Consultancy

1. Purpose of consultancy

The purpose of the consultancy is to provide technical input to enhance the capacity of WHO-EMRO to detect acute public health events through innovative tools for detection and event management. The consultant will liaise between the HQ-Public Health Intelligence (PHI) team on the development and use of the SAFE platform and EMS2 (event management site) suite. In this regard, he is responsible for providing orientation to the other PHI colleagues.

2. Background

The WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE) is mandated to enhance WHO’s capacity for the rapid detection, assessment, and follow-up of all public health risks. This provides the opportunity to establish a framework that facilitates the implementation of a common approach to public health intelligence and public health event management across all levels of the organization.

The Health Emergency Information and Risk Assessment (HIM) Unit is responsible for identifying new public health events, assessing risks to public health, conducting epidemiological surveillance and field investigations, monitoring public health interventions, and communicating public health information to technical partners.

Under the HIM Unit is the Public Health Intelligence (PHI) Team, which is at the forefront of rapidly identifying emerging public health threats, assessing the risks and communicating them. This enables timely response and strategies to address critical needs and avoid further morbidity and mortality. The key to deliver this crucial task is to identify signals within 24 hours, verify, risk assess and communicate and manage these acute public health events. The team systematically uses the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Source (EIOS) and social media platforms in collecting relevant information that may have potential to international public health. The team works 24/7 and produces results with a very tight deadline.

Technical support is needed to provide assistance in the detection of signals and management of acute public health events, risk assessment, development of communication products (posts on the Event Information Site (EIS), Disease Outbreak News (DON), Daily and Weekly Summary of Events) and assist in the monitoring process of the regional IHR communications as needed. Support is also required to liaise between HQ and EMRO-PHI/HIM in the development and utilization of the SAFE platform and EMS2 Suite.

3. Work to be performed

Output 1. Support EMRO-HIM in developing and utilizing the SAFE platform and EMS2 suite

Deliverable 1.1: Liaise with the HQ-PHI team during the development and usage of the SAFE platform and EMS2 suite

Deliverable 1.2: Provide necessary documents from the EMRO-PHI/HIM

Deliverable 1.3: Provide a technical input to the Draft of a short SOP for use within the EMRO-PHI team

Deliverable 1.4: Conduct an orientation session for the other EMRO-PHI/HIM colleagues

Output 2: Support EMRO-HIM on Epidemic Intelligence (EI)

Deliverable 2.1: Surf news articles using the EIOS platform

Deliverable 2.2: Fill in EI platform of acute public health events

Deliverable 2.3: for the duration of the consultancy, Draft Daily Summary of signals and events, EIS, DON and RRA when required

Output 3. Support EMRO-HIM in monitoring acute public health events

Deliverable 3.1: Create, update acute public health events in the EMS

Deliverable 3.2: Draft and present signals and events during the EOC meetings

4. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages
   

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: university degree in Public Health, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy or other related field

Desirable: Master’s Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology or related Field

Experience:

At least one-year of progressive professional experience in public health, epidemiology or information management either in public or private sector

Experience in conducting EI, risk assessment, or surveillance

Familiarity with the WHO tools in signal and event management

Desirable: International experience or work experience in the UN on health information management

Skills/Technical skills and knowledge:

1) Good knowledge of public health, emergency response, communicable disease control, and risk assessment.

2) Good knowledge in health information management.

3) in capacity building in information management for health.

4) Good knowledge of WHO mandate and goals and UN programmes.

5) Proven ability to communicate effectively. Excellent communication and writing skills.

6) Ability to work effectively in a cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment.

7) Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work under pressure.

8) Tact, discretion, and diplomacy

Languages and level required:

Essential: Excellent Knowledge of English and Arabic Language

5. Location
   Cairo, Egypt
   
6. Planned timelines (Subject to confirmation)

Start date: 1 March 2023

End date: 31 August 2023

7. Medical clearance

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

8. Travel

Travels may be done based on the WCO request to support HIM activities in the countries.

All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance.

Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

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.