Public Health Officer (Surveillance and Disease Control and Prevention)

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Qualifications

Background and Justification

Purpose of the Position

The incumbent will manage communicable diseases, emerging infectious disease, pandemic influenza preparedness (PIP) framework, NTDs and EPI programme in the country, while maintaining a multisectoral overview, and will ensure the availability of technical expertise to advise the government on integrated programmes and initiatives to strengthen their capacity building in investigation, surveillance, prevention and control. He/she will collaborate with relevant authorities to enhance the analysis and provision of data-driven evidence to facilitate public-health policy advice and decision making.

The incumbent will promote and strengthen programme activities within an assigned area of responsibility, consult with national counterparts on programme needs, and perform related managerial tasks as required. The position contributes to the WHO's country cooperation strategy in communicable diseases.

Organizational context

Under the direct supervision of the WHE Team Lead and the overall guidance of Head of WHO Country Officer (HWCO), the incumbent will be responsible for implementing activities and facilitate the operational, technical, and programmatic aspects of the emerging infectious disease, communicable diseases (HIV/TB and Malaria), NTDs and EPI programme. S/He will work directly with the national government and health partners to ensure the timely delivery, effective and efficient input to the implementation of the national health sector strategy to achieve the best attainable health status for the populations that WHO serves. The incumbent will also work with partners to enhance multi-sectoral collaboration to address integrated, communicable disease prevention and control. and contribute to resource mobilization for the work programme.

Summary of Assigned Duties

The incumbent will perform the following, and other related responsibilities as required by the needs of the office:

1.      Facilitate efficient and effective management, as well as coordination of expertise, to provide technical advice on the development of sustainable, multi-sectoral, and integrated national strategies, policies, interventions, and plans for improvements in health systems and capacity building in the area of prevention and control of communicable diseases, emerging infectious diseases, NTDs, VPDs, EPI Programme, etc..

2.      Coordinate implementation of global and regional commitments on integrated disease surveillance, HIV/TB, VPD, EPIs, One Health, and PIP according to WHO guidelines and tools.

3.      Provide technical advice to relevant health authorities and partners on building core capacities for surveillance, early detection, verification and rapid response to epidemics, pandemic and other public health events of international concern, including the tracking of the surveillance performance indicators, as required in the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005.

4.      Act as a focal person for planning, implementation and monitoring of biennial workplan for Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Partnership Contribution funds.

5.      Facilitate implementation of activities aimed at the enhancement of national capacities in epidemic and disease-trends’ forecasting and detection systems, including epidemiology (both events-based and indicator-based surveillance) and laboratory surveillance, for monitoring and evaluating the core surveillance and real-time analysis of outbreak intelligence data.

6.      Collect and verify data on reported outbreaks or rumors received from multiple sources, conduct retrospective analysis of reported incidents: determine trends, distribution patterns, and efficiency of the verification mechanism

7.      Manage WHO Country Office’s support to the improvement of the National Influenza Center, CPHL and other laboratory capacities to collect, analyze, and report routine influenza and other emerging/communicable disease surveillance data in accordance with WHO standards

8.      Facilitate the implementation of projects and activities for the control of the respective emerging infectious diseases, VPD, NTDs and other communicable diseases, including the procurement of safe, efficacious and affordable medicines and technologies.

9.      Analyze and evaluate a diverse range of data and information related to emerging infectious disease and other communicable disease surveillance and outbreaks; identify disease sources and provide recommendations and reports on the appropriate response to identified risks, and the implementation of preventative and control measures.

10.  Monitor the national burden of emerging infectious disease, VPDs and other communicable diseases or factors, especially through health information systems and health research activities. Coordinate the development or enhancement of existing information systems on communicable and noncommunicable diseases and the monitoring of progress towards SDGs.

Competencies:

*1. Teamwork

*2. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

*3. Communication

Producing results

Moving forward in a changing environment

Functional Knowledge and Skills

·         Transmissions, specialized methods of diagnosis, development, and treatment of communicable diseases, including TB/HIV infection and other communicable and emerging infectious diseases.

·         Technical and programmatic knowledge of the prevention and control of a range of communicable, VPDs and other emerging infectious diseases.

·         Expertise to strategically plan, coordinate, and support the implementation EPI programme.

·         Prevention and control of common communicable and emerging infectious diseases

·         Knowledge of country situation in communicable diseases and EPI programme

Education Qualifications

Essential

·         A university degree (bachelor’s) in a relevant field (such as public health, epidemiology or statistics).

Desirable

·         Master’s degree in public health

·         Training or specialization in communicable diseases and noncommunicable diseases

Experience

Essential

·         A minimum of five years of work experience relevant to the position (in communicable and noncommunicable diseases, focusing on disease investigation, surveillance, and control, as well as developing strategies and action plans for implementing capacity building and disease prevention programmes).

Desirable

·         Demonstrated professional experience providing technical services to national counterparts, Ministries of Health, and other partners on communicable disease related issues.

·         Relevant work experience, with WHO and/or United Nations agencies, health cluster partners, nongovernmental or humanitarian organizations. Some of the above-listed experience to have been obtained in an international context.

Other Skills (e.g. IT)

Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications as well as surveillance databases

·         Best practices of international organizations’ in the related disease control areas, primarily WHO's policies, practices, guidelines and procedures, and ability to apply them in the country office setting.

·         Excellent analytical and organizational skills.

·         Skills in developing and promoting collaborative multi-sectoral partnerships and mobilizing resources.

·         Ability to provide clear advice and guidance to multiple stakeholders and partners.

Use of Language Skills

English

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Expert knowledge

Required

French

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Expert knowledge

Desirable

Arabic

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