Consultant – EWARS/surveillance support & response to disease outbreak in Gaza

1. Purpose of consultancy

To enhance the implementation of EWARS system in Gaza, WHO-Emergency Health Departement / IHP unit is seeking a consultant to support in implementing, expanding, monitoring, and documenting the overall progress of the surveillance system and provide guidance for disease outbreaks preparedness and response.

2. Background

The ongoing hostilities and war in Gaza have burdened the health and social systems, leaving nearly 2 million people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. In Gaza City and North of Gaza, over 300,000 individuals require immediate life-saving aid, while more than 1.8 million people have been displaced from their homes.

Prior to the crisis, there was a responsive surveillance system overseen by the MoH in Gaza. There were two main sources of surveillance data:1) a paper-based system run by the MoH and 2) a digital system operated by UNRWA through passive surveillance. The routine disease surveillance in Gaza has been negatively impacted by the destruction of the health infrastructure, shortage of human resources, continuous population movement, electricity outage, unstable internet connectivity, and telecommunication coverage.

Immediately after the crisis, WHO worked with the main partners to support the establishment of an EWARS system aiming to provide an early warning of infectious disease outbreaks and immediate public health response following alert’s verification. As such, WHO supported the development of a list of priority conditions with case definitions and alert thresholds. In addition, WHO supported the deployment of the EWARS mobile as a surveillance reporting tool and piloting in selected UNRWA-supported sites. WHO supported the development of the system’s tools besides training the healthcare workers on the use of the mobile application.

To date, over 40 sites distributed over Gaza are part of the EWARS network. In addition, several EMTs are also regularly reporting surveillance data on the priority conditions. MoH is still collecting surveillance data from several sites- which are changing as the situation evolves-using a paper-based system.

Many challenges affect EWARS performance in Gaza. Security, population movement, inadequate data management capacity, shortage of human resources, inconsistent reporting sources and channels, in addition to inadequate confirmation capacity. Therefore, more efforts need to be exerted to strengthen the EWARS system and expand to ensure adequate coverage and better visibility of epi situation. Furthermore, continuous technical support and guidance need to be provided to control ongoing or potential disease outbreaks.

Planned timelines (subject to extension according to budget availability)

Start date: 01/01/2025

End date: 31/03/2025

3. Deliverables

OUTPUT 1: -Enhance EWARS performance and expansion for Timely Outbreak Detection and Response:

Deliverable 1.1: Contribute to the development and update of relevant guiding documents such as strategic plans, technical guidelines, standards, training materials, and EWARS tools,

Deliverable 1.2: Facilitate the set-up of capacity building exercises for healthcare workers and surveillance staff to improve reporting and notification,

Deliverable 1.3: Support and collaborate on surveillance data management, presentation, production of periodic (daily/weekly/monthly) epidemiological updates/bulletins during the assignment and sharing with relevant stakeholders,

Deliverable 1.4: Facilitate guidance and provides inputs to all relevant technical working groups and share regular updates with designated IMST.

OUTPUT 2: Monitor and evaluate EWARS performance and document the progress:

Deliverable 2.1: Provide technical expertise in Contribute to the development of progress-monitoring tools and reports,

Deliverable 2.2: Facilitate and conduct evaluation and review sessions/workshops with all relevant stakeholders

Deliverable 2.3: conduct gap analysis/needs assessment and develop improvement plans,

Deliverable 2.4: document the lessons learnt and success stories and share with relevant stakeholders.

OUTPUT 3: Support implementation of evidence-based disease outbreaks preparedness and control plans:

Deliverable 3.1: Collaborate with partners and various units both within and outside WHE to create or update disease-specific outbreak preparedness and response plans.

Deliverable 3.2: Develop draft proposal for disease-specific technical guidelines, protocols, SOPs and tools,

Deliverable 3.3: Analyse gaps, propose and follow methodology for resources mobilization (human, financial, and supplies/materials) planning in support to the implementation of evidence-based outbreak preparedness and control interventions,

Deliverable 3.4: Contribute to the implementation of preparedness and response activities levels including the development/review of technical requests, action plans, and communication materials.

4. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: Bachelor’s degree in medicine, public/global health, infectious diseases, or communicable diseases.

Desirable: Post-graduate (Master’s degree) in epidemiology, statistics, or data management.

Experience:

Essential: A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, including at the international level, in developing, designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating of surveillance systems and disease outbreaks control in low and/or middle-income countries.

Desirable: Experience in the development of capacity building tools and databases for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

Skills/Knowledge:

·Excellent oral and written communication skills in English language

·Organization and efficiency skills

·Data handling and analysis skills

·Interpersonal communication and collaboration skills

·Familiarity with the UN system, including knowledge of WHO country, regional and global functions. Ability to work as a team member, and sensitivity to working in a multi-cultural environment.

Languages and level required :

English expert level required; intermediate level of Arabic or French is desirable

5. Location:

On-site, Cairo, Egypt

In case of any travel:.

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

6. Travel (If travel is involved, a medical certificate of fitness for work will be required.)

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.

7. Medical clearance

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

8. Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

a. Remuneration: the international pay band B

b. Expected duration of contract : 6 months (Maximum contract duration is 11 months per calendar year):

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.
• Consultants working in Switzerland must register with the applicable Swiss cantonal tax authorities and social security authorities, within the prescribed time frames (Guidelines issued by the Swiss Mission are available at: https://www.eda.admin.ch/missions/mission-onu-geneve/en/home/manual-regime-privileges-and-immunities/introduction/Manuel-personnes-sans-privileges-et-immunites-carte-H/Non fonctionnaires et stagiaires.html