National Consultant – Updating national HIV treatment guidelines

Purpose of consultancy

This consultancy is to engage the services of a national expert to facilitate updating the national guidelines of HIV clinical management. Working together with an international consultant, and in close coordination with the WHO Country Office (WCO), the consultant has to review the current national guidelines in view of the latest WHO guidelines; facilitate dialogue and collect inputs from the stakeholders for incorporating in the proposed updated version of the national guidelines. The updated version of the national HIV clinical management guidelines proposed as a result of this consultancy must reflect the context and needs of the country.

Background

HIV treatment in Myanmar started since 2003 and expanded gradually in two decades to provide ART for more than 200,000 patients in 2022. ART treatment was limited in early years and only the sickest patients were eligible to get treated. Along with the evolution of Global recommendation, ART eligibility criteria in the national guidelines in Myanmar also adopted ‘treat all’ in 2017. The 2017 national guidelines was updated based on the 2016 WHO global guidelines. As there were some new guidance on new ARV transition, cryptococcal meningitis etc., in 2018 amendment to 2017 national guidelines was also developed. Since then, there were global guidance and new recommendations that came out and updated WHO consolidated guidelines were also published in 2021. Hence, national guidelines need to be updated accordingly.

Deliverables

Output 1: Report on the consultations with stakeholders

• Deliverable 1.1: Coordinate with in-country stakeholders including Guidelines Review Group

• Deliverable 1.2: Organize and facilitate consultations and stakeholder inputs individually or in groups

Output 2: Updated national guidelines with inputs from stakeholders incorporated in iterative drafts

• Deliverable 2.1: Provide the information on the country context and other inputs as necessary
• Deliverable 2.2: Update and summarise the inputs and feedback on the proposed draft guidelines and ensure that the country context and all critical inputs from the stakeholders are reflected

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: Medical degree from recognized university

Desirable: Advanced university degree in public health/tropical medicine or Specific trainings related to HIV clinical management

Experience

Essential: Minimum 5 years of experience in HIV field and 3 years in HIV clinical management.

Desirable: Experience on guidelines and SOP development

Skills/Knowledge:

• Report writing and documentation skills
• Facilitation experience in consultations and workshops
• Teamwork
• Communication

Technical Expertise:

• Strong knowledge on HIV clinical management

Languages and level required (Basic/Intermediate/Advanced):

• Expert level of English is essential (Read-Write-Speak)

Location

On site: WHO Office Yangon, Myanmar and travel to Naypyitaw.

Travel

The consultant is required to travel to Naypyitaw during this consultancy assignment.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

• Remuneration: NO.B; USD 180/day
• Expected duration of contract: 30 days (1 June 2023 to 31 July 2023)

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) in English 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.
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• Applications from women are encouraged.
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• 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.
• This assignment is subject to local recruitment and will be filled by persons recruited in the local commuting area of the duty station/assignment location.