Consultant
Meningitis
( 2301520 )
Contractual Arrangement : External consultant
Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days) : 7 months
Job Posting: Jun 22, 2023, 12:26:28 AM
Purpose of the Consultancy
The consultant is to provide support to WPRO in: i) the development of the WPRO implementation framework to defeat meningitis by 2030; and ii) the identification of targeted countries to foster the implementation of Defeating meningitis by 2030 global road map.
Background
Despite successful efforts to control meningitis in several regions of the world, meningitis continues to be a major public health issue causing up to 2.5 million yearly cases. It kills 250 000 people annually, leaving one in five affected individuals with long-term devastating sequelae. Meningitis epidemics are unpredictable and cause massive disruption to communities and health systems. Although many meningitis cases and deaths are vaccine-preventable, progress in defeating meningitis lags progress in other vaccine-preventable diseases.
In 2017, representatives from governments, global health organizations, public health bodies, academia, the private sector, and civil society united around a call for action towards defeating meningitis as a public health threat. In response, WHO, in collaboration with global partners and experts involved in meningitis prevention and control, took the leadership in developing a global road map that sets forth a vision and strategy to defeat meningitis by 2030.
In November 2020, the Seventy-Third World Health Assembly approved the global road map to defeat meningitis by 2030 (resolution WHA73.9). The road map was launched in September 2021.
The vision of the global Defeating Meningitis Road map is “Towards a world free of meningitis”. While the road map addresses all meningitis regardless of the cause, it primarily focuses on the main causes of acute bacterial meningitis (meningococcus, pneumococcus, Haemophilus influenzae and group B streptococcus).
The road map includes three visionary goals, which are to i) eliminate epidemics of bacterial meningitis; ii) reduce cases of vaccine-preventable bacterial meningitis by 50% and deaths by 70%; and iii) reduce disability and improve quality of life after meningitis of any cause. It also sets a clear path to achieve these goals through concerted actions across five interconnected pillars, each of which includes strategic goals, key activities, and milestones. The five pillars are i) prevention and epidemic control; ii) diagnosis and treatment; iii) disease surveillance; iv) care and support of those affected by meningitis; and v) advocacy and engagement .
The road map applies to all countries worldwide. To strike a balance between health needs and expected impact (i.e., to determine where resources could be best used), it is proposed that each region defines “targeted countries”, referring to those countries given priority based on factors such as the burden of meningitis, vaccine coverage, health, access to health services, and any other region-specific factors.
Countries from all WHO Regions as well as WHO Regional Offices have been strongly involved in the development of this global road map.
For relevant implementation in the WPRO region, the global road map needs to be adapted to the specificities of the region and its Member States, into a regional implementation framework (and possibly into other documents such as a regional road map). Such specificities include meningitis epidemiology, immunization schedules and coverage, health systems structure, functioning and performance, health services delivery, surveillance systems, availability, and access to care for those living with disabilities and others
Planned Timelines
Start date : 1 Aug 2023
End date : 28 Feb 2024
Summary of Assigned Duties
1. Tasks
Under the supervision and guidance from the Focal Person of VPD Surveillance and New Vaccine Introduction, Dr Hardeep Sandhu, the consultant will perform the following activities: Adaptation of the global road map
The suggested approach to develop the WPRO implementation framework to defeat meningitis by 2030 is as follows:
- Desk review of available data along the five pillars of the road map (disease burden including sequelae, risk of epidemics, vaccine programmes and coverage, diagnostics, treatment guidelines and access to care, surveillance data and surveillance systems, access of care and support for those with disabilities after meningitis, awareness on meningitis among lay-population, health sector and decision-makers…). During this desk review, identifying data gaps will also be of importance, as they can inform the strategy. This first step can be conducted together with the landscape analysis (Objective 2), as similar data/analysis will inform the two objectives.
- Consultation with a sample of Member States and other relevant stakeholders (e.g., academia, CSO, public health organizations…). These consultations should aim to complete the desk review and identify the main challenges and opportunities in the region, that would help define the strategy.
- Based on the desk reviews and the consultations, and using the global defeating meningitis road map as a guide:
- Propose high-level goals for the WPRO implementation framework, consistent with the global road map but specifically relevant for the region.
- Propose activities and milestones consistent with the global road map but specifically relevant for the region (including, as needed, aspects that would not be fully addressed in the global road map) with a focus on those activities in which WHO Regions are down to lead and/or support.
- Among them and as relevant, identify those who are of the highest priority
- The proposition of additional features for the WPRO road map as needed and relevant (e.g., guiding principles, synergies, and integration with UHC/PHC or other regional initiatives, monitoring and evaluation…)
- Multi-disciplinary consultation to review the draft WPRO road map (see below) and finalization of the draft regional road map for consideration at the appropriate level
Landscape analysis and identification of WPRO-targeted countries
The landscape analysis and identification of targeted countries will be done in three phases as follows:
- Phase 1: high-level landscape analysis based on information that is already available or easily obtainable by regions for countries within their region.
- A data template has been developed to guide the collection and analysis of relevant data/information, and it has been prefilled by WHO-HQ and the Meningitis Research Foundation to facilitate this work. The template and may need to be refined to further consider WPRO specificities, and it can be further informed with complementary data.
- Regarding the definition of targeted countries, this analysis will primarily focus on disease burden and health services assessment.
- Synergies should be sought between this Phase 1 work and the desk review and consultations to inform the development of the WPRO implementation framework (Objective 1)
- Phase 2: identification of targeted countries
- The objectives of this phase are to review the high-level landscape analysis categorizing meningitis burden and health services for each country and to agree on which countries should be selected to drive impact on meningitis.
- An approach should be defined to select key indicators and propose a list of targeted countries with the highest potential for impact and/or the highest needs
- Review of proposed targeted countries should be done through at the multi-disciplinary consultation, and endorsement with an appropriate governance mechanism. A high-level process is proposed to this end in the Appendix.
- Phase 3 (out of the scope of this work): once the targeted countries have been identified, a framework and tools will be developed for an in-depth needs assessment of these countries .
2. Deliverables
- Output
- The final draft of WPRO implementation framework to defeat meningitis(by 31 Dec 2023)
- Deliverable 1.1. List of data/information to be collected during desk review and consultation (see synergies with Outputs 2.1 and 2.2)
- Deliverable 1.2. Desk review completed, with a highlight of the data/information to be collected during the consultation process and terms of reference for the consultations.
- Deliverable 1.3. Report of the first consultation of stakeholders
- Deliverable 1.4. First draft of WPRO implementation framework
- Deliverable 1.5. Second draft of WPRO implementation framework, after ad hoc consultations and reviews (internal and external, as needed) – for discussion during the consultation meeting
- Deliverable 1.6. Report of the first consultation for the finalization of the WPRO implementation framework
- Deliverable 1.7. Final draft of WPRO implementation framework for endorsement
- Output
- List of targeted countries for WPRO (by 28 Feb 2024 [estimate])
- Deliverable 2.1. Template for high-level landscape analysis
- Deliverable 2.2. Completion of template
- Deliverable 2.3. Approach and criteria to select targeted countries
- Deliverable 2.4. First draft of list of targeted counties
- Deliverable 2.5. Final list of targeted countries to be proposed for formal endorsement (through appropriate process)
- Specific Requirements
Educational Qualifications:
Required: Relevant university degree in medicine, public health or other related life-science field/ programmes.
Desirable: Post-graduate studies or master’s degree in Public Health.
Experience:
Essential : Minimum of at least five (5) years in public health and/ or communicable disease control and data management.
Skills/Knowledge:
Essential: Must have proven experience in developing strategies and/or guidelines. Must have strong analytical skills.
Desirable : Expert knowledge of and professional experiences in public health, particularly infectious disease control, and data management and analysis.
Languages and levels required:
Proficient in written and spoken English is required (read-write-speak).
Competencies
- Fostering integration and teamwork
- Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
- Communicating in a credible and effective way
- Knowing and managing yourself
- Moving forward in changing environment
Place of Assignment
The consultant is expected to perform this assignment in VDI/WPRO Manila, Philippines.
If in case of a lockdown or other eventualities leading to non-availability to access the office and or travel restrictions, the selected candidate may work from his /her home country or current address.
Medical Clearance
The selected consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.
Travel
The consultant may be expected to conduct fieldwork in WPRO countries (Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong SAR China, Lao PDR, Macao SAR China, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Solomon Islands, and Viet Nam) and other identified countries or areas targeted for defeating meningitis by 2030 global road map.
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.
- The purpose of this vacancy is to develop a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in this advertised roster. All applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application (whether successful or unsuccessful) upon conclusion of the selection process. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments falling in this area of work or for similar requirements/tasks/deliverables. Inclusion in the Roster does not guarantee selection to a consultant contract. There is no commitment on either side.
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