Consultant for Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Training, Part 2

BACKGROUND

Lao PDR has demonstrated the value of using an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to suppress an outbreak of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus in 2015 and believes that a similar approach can be effective for other communicable diseases and public health emergencies. The EOC monitors 19 notifiable diseases on a weekly basis, and provincial EOCs are established and used to communicate across levels of the health system. However, the current EOC, at both central and provincial levels, requires further strengthening as identified through the joint external evaluations in 2016 and in the recent Attapeu national disaster and COVID-19 responses. Through this process, an opportunity exists to incorporate malaria as it enters elimination phase. Using the EOC mechanism, malaria will have access to additional capacity to appropriately detect and respond to a case as an outbreak.

As part of the existing relationship with MoH in Lao PDR, the World Health Organization (WHO) has a mandate to support MoH in developing a robust, highly functional and sustainable EOC, and to help accelerate the country’s path to malaria elimination.

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

To provide technical support to Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) Ministry of Health (MoH) in strengthening the functionality of the Public Health Emergency Operating Centre (PHEOC) to effectively detect, respond to and prevent public health emergencies, and to specifically test this functionality using malaria and other locally relevant communicable diseases.

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

Under the guidance of the WHO CO (WHO Country Office) PHEOC focal point, he/she will closely work with the central government, particularly the Department of Communicable Disease Control (DCDC), provincial government and other relevant government institutions, non-governmental organizations, external support agencies, bilateral and multilateral agencies and UN organizations to develop training materials and implement these materials with people working in emergency operations in Lao PDR, particularly PHEOC. Additionally, he/she will work closely with the WHO HIV/TB/Malaria team in the country office as part of the integration of malaria into the notifiable disease landscape and assist with operationalising EOC in the malaria stakeholders. He/She is expected to exercise initiative as well as sound judgment in the application of policy guidelines and programme objectives of the Organization and partner agencies as required and relevant. Key activities include;

1. Working with DCDC and the WHO CO PHEOC focal point, develop training exercises for subnational trainings
2. Review PHEOC training materials from global PHEOC and emergency management programs to identify which would be most suitable for the Lao context
3. Update competency and skills framework with links to training modules and staff levels
4. Assist with development of online training modules
5. Perform other duties as required by the WHO CO PHEOC focal point and HTM manager

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

Output/s

Output 1: Develop training exercises for subnational trainings

• Deliverable 1.1: Disease specific training exercise module developed (malaria)
• Deliverable 1.2: Disease specific training exercise module developed (measles)

Output 2: Review PHEOC training materials from global PHEOC and emergency management programs to identify which would be most suitable for the Lao context

• Deliverable 2.1 Review and identification of suitable courses from the US CDC PHEM Program, ECDC, WHO and other international emergency management/response programs for Lao PDR

Output 3: Update competency and skills framework

• Deliverable 3.1 Update competency framework, linking training materials to competencies and skills and the type of staff that should have that competency

Output 4: Assist with development of online training modules

• Deliverable 4.1 Identification of most appropriate channel for online channel for distribution in Lao PDR of PHEOC materials

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

Essential: Master's degree in public health or related area.

Desirable: Graduate of field epidemiology training program

EXPERIENCE

Essential: The International STC should have work experience of least seven years working in public health events, such as disease outbreaks or natural disasters. The International STC should have experience in training staff working in public health events. The International STC should have strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Desirable: Work experience in EOC and incident management system (IMS)MS. Low-resource setting experience

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

• • Experience training of staff to build their capacity for their role, particularly in emergency operations
• • Ability to work harmoniously as a member of a team, adapt to diverse educational and cultural backgrounds and maintain a high standard of personal conduct
• • Ability to work independently under pressure and to deliver high-quality work on-time
• • Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• • Good oral and written communication skills
• • Good computer skills on using Microsoft Word, Excel, PPT

LANGUAGES

High degree of competency in reading, writing and spoken English.

COMPETENCIES

• • Technical expertise
• • Producing results
• • Communication

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• • Individual applicants and work remotely
• • Duration of contract: 6 months (5 July 2021 – 4 January 2022)

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV {for individual contractors} or Company Profile {for institutional applications} and Expression of Interest {cover letter} to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 18 June 2021

The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include their proposed daily consultancy fee and availability.

Please use Tender Notice No. 130167 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.