Infection Prevention and Control Consultant

BACKGROUND

Despite years of trainings, surveys, and assessments carried out on improving IPC in countries in the Western Pacific Region (WPR), the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the systemic weaknesses in our preparedness to minimize infectious disease transmission within and beyond the health sector. Lapses in IPC in the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in hundreds of thousands of preventable infections and 8.8 trillion dollars of economic loss, based on latest estimate. The pandemic has raised the profile of health across virtually every sector and presents a fleeting once in a public health lifetime opportunity to sustainably elevate IPC to its deserved position within and beyond the health system. Guided by APSED III (Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies), WHO aims to support countries in WPR to use pandemic preparedness as a driver for strengthening countries’ planning and readiness for responding to health emergencies and outbreaks through health systems strengthening, and IPC has been endorsed as a critical lever in achieving this goal.

A cursory examination of Western Pacific Region's countries’ system components for IPC has revealed critical gaps in knowledge of legal foundation, national strategies, technical guidelines for health facilities and establishments beyond health sectors (e.g. points-of-entry, public facilities, nursing homes, emergency shelters), health facility and healthcare workers’ accreditation and licensing, as well as surveillance system and programme quality and evaluation. WHO recognizes it is imperative to support countries in long-term IPC systems strengthening, by pooling in IPC systems elements in one comprehensive review and analysis, to guide WHO’s technical support to Member States in a systematic, integrated manner, that aligns with WPR For the Future thematic priorities for long-term systems strengthening.

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

This consultancy will support the Health Service Delivery Pillar of the Incident Manager Support Team (IMST) in the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO) and/or Country Office related to the new coronavirus known as COVID-19.

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT (aligned to draft monthly plans)

• • Provide rapid response to each COVID-19 related IPC technical request as assigned and cleared by the supervisor
• • Provide technical inputs to the development, testing, and revision of WHO WPRO regional health facility assessment toolkits, in low-and-middle-income settings, including:

1. Lead the development of IPC quality assessment module for Laboratory settings in hospital;
2. Support the development, testing and revision of IPC quality assessment module for primary health care and out-patient department in healthcare facility settings;
3. Support the development, testing, and revision of isolation and quarantine centers, and adapt versions per country context as requested
4. Support the testing and revisions of IPC for medical imaging department module;
5. Perform country testing and subsequent revision of these tools as requested by the supervisor

• • Conduct in-depth desk review on two new countries’ national policies, regulations, laws, and action plans, facility accreditation and healthcare worker licensing, and program implementation and evaluation relevant to IPC health systems
• • Revise and finalize three existing country scoping review reports for PHL, PNG, and SLB, in collaboration with WPRO and respective country offices
• • Provide timely and quality response as requested by the supervisor

Deliverables:

• • Provide technical support to WPRO COVID-19 emergency response related to IPC
• • WHO regional health facility assessment toolkits
• • Develop health system scoping review reports on IPC, in five selected priority countries
• • Perform IPC technical support as requested by the supervisor
• • Submit monthly progress reports
• • Submit final report at the end of consultancy

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

Consultancy will be carried out remotely. The consultant will provide support to the COVID-19 Incident Management Support Team (IMST).

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

Essential:

First level university degree in nursing, medicine, pharmacy, microbiology or epidemiology from an accredited/recognized institute.

Desirable:

Relevant post-graduate degree in public health degree in nursing, medicine, pharmacy, microbiology or epidemiology from an accredited/recognized institute.
 

EXPERIENCE

Essential:

At least five years of experience in developing infection and prevention control policies and SOPs on IPC for medical imaging and laboratory settings.  

Desirable:

• • Previous experience with WHO or other UN agencies;
• • Previous international experience on global scale, as well as at least one year experience working for LMIC setting.

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

• • Excellent communication skills
• • Excellent analytical, planning and organizational skills
• • Ability to work in a team with limited supervision
• • Ability to work under pressure

LANGUAGES

Proficient in written and spoken English

COMPETENCIES

• • Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• • Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
• • Teamwork
• • Communication
• • Ensuring the effective use of resources

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

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 living allowance in accordance with the required location and duration of travel.  It is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

Duration of contract: 18 July 2021 - 31 December 2021

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 15 June 2021:

1. Expression of Interest {cover letter} that indicates: a) how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position, b) proposed daily consultancy fee, and c) availability to commence the work.   
2. Curriculum vitae.

Please use Tender Notice No. 129897 as subject to all submission. WHO may contact candidates for further information. Candidates not being considered will not be contacted. Progress of this work is subject to confirmation of funding.