SHORT TERM CONSULTANCY (STC) – MME EPIDEMIOLOGIST FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO NATIONAL MALARIA CONTROL PROGRAMMES IN THE GMS COUNTRIES

https://www.ungm.org/Public/Notice/146600

1. BACKGROUND

In order to accelerate Malaria Elimination in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), it was agreed that WHO should strengthen its role in technical support at the provincial level in the 5 GMS countries – Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam – to:

1. Strengthen program coordination and provide technical support to ensure full implementation of Malaria National Strategic Plan interventions; and
2. Implement an aggressive approach to deploy interventions to impact risk and deplete parasite reservoirs in populations with highest risk of malaria;

In order to fulfil this role, WHO/MME (Mekong Malaria Elimination) is recruiting 2 epidemiologists to provide support in the GMS Region based on the epidemiological needs. The epidemiologist will closely work with the country project specialist (based at the central level) in the frame of the Intensification Plan for Reducing the Malaria Burden Among Forest Goers and Hard to Reach Populations (Intensification Plan).

Duration: from 01 January 2022 to 31 December 2022 with possible extension of 12 months, depending on available funds

The epidemiologist consultant will be permanently based in their respective provincial/state/region/district and will provide enhanced and focussed support to the National Malaria and Control Programmes (NMCPs), implementing partners, health centres and community volunteers. The candidates will travel monthly to the capital city to coordinate with the country project specialist and will travel to other GMS countries to provide an epidemiological support when needed.

2. PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

1. Program coordination and support to ensure full implementation of Malaria National Strategic Plan interventions;
2. Enhanced and focused technical support through routine epidemiological analyses and mapping of malaria transmission areas/village/settlements in high malaria endemic areas in order to better focus intensified supervision and response; and
3. Define and supervise aggressive interventions focused on populations and locations with highest risk of malaria in order to deplete the parasite reservoir.

3. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

Coordination and programme management: contribute to a better coordination and activity planification among partners and improve programme management at the provincial/state/region/district levels

Activity 1: Coordinate, supervise and build capacity at the provincial/township and district levels

Activity 2: Strengthen relationship among partners and ensure optimal planification of implementing activities and programme management

Activity 3: A technical written report on project implementation and outcomes is monthly produced and discussed with partners to facilitate dissemination of practical and useful findings and recommendations

Activity 4: Joint visit with NMCPs, UNOPS and partners is quarterly organized

Surveillance: improve surveillance supporting data process to ensure data reliability. Epidemiological analyses and mapping of cases and forested transmission areas. Technical support on elimination activities including case and foci investigation and classification

Activity 1: Full review of malaria surveillance management system

Activity 2: Report on data management issues and corrective actions needed to improve quality of malaria data reported at health centre and community levels

Activity 3: Generate malaria epidemiological mapping in collaboration with NMCP Malaria focal points and supporting partners. Mapping of transmission areas based on malaria and forestry data

Activity 4: Build capacity of Malaria Focal Points and CSOs to perform monthly epidemiological mapping and analysis to independently better identify transmission areas and strengthen implementing activities

Activity 5: Technical support on case and foci investigation and classification and more aggressive interventions that will be implemented in the country

Case management/prevention: improve diagnosis and treatment procedures at health facility and community levels and ensure preventive measures are in place (e.g. assessment of LLIN and LLHINs distribution, forest pack distribution)

Activity 1: Technical support in designing and implementing active case detection activities targeting populations and locations with highest risk of malaria

Activity 2: Evaluation of active case detection activities and on the basis of these evaluations, proposal of alternative interventions design

Activity 3: Ensure preventive measures as LLIN, LLIHNs and forest packs are in place and on ongoing distribution

4. METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY AND LIST OF OUTPUTS

Each consultant will be based at peripherical level and will be responsible to support NMCPs and partners to reach the following deliverable:

Output 1: Improve Coordination and programme management

• Deliverable 1.1: Develop the plan and organize the monthly coordination meeting at all targeted provincial/state/region/district levels accordingly to the country. Identify gaps and challenges for current/future programme implementation and coordination at provincial/state/region/district levels;
• Deliverable 1.2: Conduct monthly assessment on the status of redeployment and functionality of the community volunteers network (VMWs and MMWs) including performance of diagnosis and treatment (quality assurance), surveillance data reporting, population coverage and utilization of services, payments and meeting attendance;
• Deliverable 1.3: Develop annual and monthly supervision plan to high burden HCs and VMWs and MMWs with targeted visit to endemic forested areas;
• Deliverable 1.4: Organize monthly meetings to coordinate efforts by Malaria Focal Points and CSOs to identify locations of forest sites and migrant and mobile populations (MMPs) and monitor implementation;
• Deliverable 1.5: Conduct monthly assessment on the stock level of Rapid Diagnostics Tests (RDTs) and Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs) according to the national guidelines, at all levels;
• Deliverable 1.6: Conduct monthly assessment compliance with national treatment guidelines and ensure full implementation;
• Deliverable 1.7: Conduct quarterly joint visit with NMCP, UNOPS and partners
• Deliverable 1.8: Summarize and communicate any issue which requires the attention of NMCP/UNOPS and WHO to WHO Country team.

Output 2: Deliverable Surveillance

• Deliverable 2.1: Conduct spot checking at HCs to ensure that the surveillance data from health centre and villages are accurately entered into the Surveillance System in the assigned country. Improve reporting timeliness and completeness of malaria cases from health facilities and villages;
• Deliverable 2.2: Identify high priority areas (with high cases and increasing trend) and map malaria transmission sites.
• Deliverable 2.3: technical support on case and foci investigation and classification and more aggressive interventions that will be implemented in the country

Output 3: Deliverable Case management/Prevention

• Deliverable 3.1: monthly, assessment of the malaria activities and existing gaps on case management, and active case detection;
• Deliverable 3.2: month assessment of gaps on coverage and utilization of recent LLIN mass distribution in targeted villages (campaign) and forest packs among forest goers (continuous distribution) and help partners and provinces develop a plan for continuous LLIN distribution.

5. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

Essential: University degree in medicine, science or equivalent with postgraduate degree in public health or epidemiology from an accredited/recognized institute.

EXPERIENCE

Essential: Minimum 1 year of relevant work experience required. An experience in WHO or other UN Organizations, working on communicable diseases is desirable.

Desirable: working at the community level in a low-middle income country

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

LANGUAGES

Good knowledge of English is essential (Read-Write-Speak). Basic knowledge of Khmer/ Burmese desirable.

COMPETENCIES

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Moving forward in a changing environment

Place of assignment

Locations:
The epidemiologist will be based at the provincial/state/region/district levels of the assigned country. The location may be subjected to changes, accordingly to the epidemiology and needs in the GMS Region.

Medical clearance
The selected consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

Travel
Frequent travels and long stay to provinces is expected.

*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.*

*Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed. WHO Country Office Cambodia will facilitate the procedures to obtain official visa.*