OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The Pacific Health Security and Communicable Diseases unit covers three main areas of work - (1) WHO's Health Emergencies Program (WHE), (2) communicable diseases (CD), and (3) reproductive and maternal health / gender and equity (RMNCAH/GER).
The mission of WHE 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 contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations. WHE brings together and enhances WHO's operational, technical and normative capacity in outbreaks, emergencies and risk analysis to address all health hazards across the risk management cycle in a predictable, capable, dependable, adaptable and accountable manner. It is designed to operate within the broader humanitarian and emergency management architecture in support of people at risk of, or affected by, outbreaks and emergencies, consistent with ways that strengthen local and national capabilities.
The Infectious Hazards Management (IHM) programme area within the Health Emergencies Programme is responsible for providing support to countries in prevention and control of high threat diseases of pandemic and epidemic potential through forecasting, characterization of diseases and/or infectious risks and development of evidence-based strategies to management of infectious hazards.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Under the general supervision & guidance of the Team Coordinator (PSC), the incumbent will perform the following:
- In collaboration with Pacific Island countries (PIC) surveillance officers, manage and monitor the timeliness and completeness of data submitted to the PSSS, the regional mechanism for early warning disease surveillance;
- Prepare and communicate the weekly Pacific Syndromic Surveillance Report to the Pacific public health community through PacNET and the WHO-South Pacific website;
- Support the roll-out of event-based surveillance as complementary to syndromic surveillance PSSS, and where possible, support countries to expand the list of syndromes under surveillance;
- Promote the roll out of the WHO ‘EWARS in a Box' mobile surveillance technology across the Pacific and support countries through training, mentoring and technical support;
- Contribute to the elaboration of effective rapid assessment for epidemic-prone diseases in consultation with the communicable disease epidemiologist, and Regional Office and HQ as needed, and national health authorities, and international health partners including UN agencies, and Pacific technical partners;
- Enter all Pacific outbreaks into the WHO Event Information Site (EMS) and produce a biannual report summarizing all outbreaks over the previous six (6) months. Liaise with the PSC Health Cluster Coordinator to also capture disasters and technological emergencies;
- Support or conduct investigations of outbreaks and other disease control activities, and provide a liaison with regional laboratories for the shipment and testing of clinical samples as needed;
- In collaboration with WPRO/WHE and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework (PIP) Secretariat in HQ, manage the PIP workplan in the Pacific, including plan preparation, budgeting, monitoring and technical reporting. Review PIP Framework SSA progress reports and recommend actions to improve epidemiological and virological surveillance if appropriate;
- Support implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in Pacific countries and areas, including self-assessment of surveillance and response systems;
- Collaborate on cross-cutting issues (e.g. outbreaks of vaccine preventable, vector borne, diarrheal diseases etc.) with other DPS programme areas;
- Serve in the DPS' Incident Management structure during emergencies;
- Responsible for the monitoring and implementation of the PIP award;
- Participate in any other activities as requested by supervisors to strengthen WHO's capacity to support partners in infectious hazard management.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Essential:
- University Degree in epidemiology, statistics, health informatics or public health from a university recognized in the International Association of Universities' Worldwide Database of Higher Education Institutions, Systems and Credentials (WHED).
Desirable:
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. Master's level degree in epidemiology, statistics, health informatics or public health.
Experience
Essential: