Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE)

BACKGROUND

In the Western Pacific Region, the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies (APSED III) is the strategic framework guiding both individual and joint action of Member States, WHO and partners to advance implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005). Through building the core capacities required under the IHR (2005), including risk communication, countries can save lives and protect health during outbreaks and health emergencies such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The WHO Country Office (WCO) in Cambodia provides technical advice, operational support, and normative guidance to the Ministry of Health (MOH) on risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) using the APSED (III) approach. The COVID-19 pandemic requires all countries to strengthen their health emergency readiness, preparedness and response systems overall, and specifically for surveillance, laboratory, case management, RCCE, infection prevention and control, non-pharmaceutical interventions and operations support and logistics as part of the IMS, which are all important technical areas of work. The RCCE consultant has a cross-cutting role bringing communications expertise to all areas for successful implementation of the response measures.

PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

This consultancy will support the Cambodia WHE Team Lead (TL) and the WHO Cambodia Incident Manager (IM) for COVID-19 as the technical lead on risk communications and community engagement (RCCE) sub-pillar. The consultant will operate within the Incident Management System (IMS) in all areas related to COVID-19 response as well as future health security system capacity building in Cambodia.

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

Under the supervision of the Incident Manager and WHE Team Lead and in collaboration with relevant technical colleagues in the Western Pacific Regional Office, the consultant will be responsible for delivering the following technical and operational support to MOH in the areas of risk communications, community engagement, and strategic communications:

• • Support for risk communications
• • Support for community engagement
• • Support for strategic communications

TIMELINE/DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT

• • Start date: 6 December 2021
• • End date: 15 June 2022

DELIVERABLE(S) TO BE SUBMITTED DURING AND AFTER THE PERIOD OF THE ASSIGNMENT INCLUDING MANNER OF DELIVERY AND PAYMENT

Output 1: Support for risk communications

• • Ensure risk communications materials and information from WPRO and HQ are shared with the WHO IMS and with MOH, including any adaptation and translation of materials, as needed
• • Advise and support MOH focal points on the development of risk communication strategy, messaging and materials adapted to the Cambodian context, in line with WHO global (and regional) guidance
• • Support MOH to lead and coordinate with risk communications partner organizations to develop and share information, exchange ideas and data, and collaborate on projects through regular working group meetings and webinars
• • Engage with local NGOs and field-based partners to share intelligence on community perceptions and ensure consistency of messaging and materials under the leadership of MOH
• • Facilitate work on social listening to guide risk communication efforts and monitor community perceptions of risk, rumours, misunderstandings and concerns on an ongoing basis
• • Guide and assist MOH on strengthening overall health security risk communication through innovative systems and capacity building activities, in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic response, such as for social listening, strategic communications, managing rumours and misinformation, and M&E.

Output 2: Support for community engagement

• • Coordinate technical assistance from within WHO in support of MOH focal points to strengthen, develop and implement community engagement approaches for COVID-19 in Cambodia, particularly for vulnerable populations and groups.
• • Assist MOH to develop mechanisms and provide advice on approaches for local preparedness activities at sub-national level that will enhance close working engagements between Health Centers and community-based groups such as VHSGs
• • Work with WHO colleagues and partners to share, map and build on existing community level activities and networks, including both health and non-health sector leaders, influencers and other stakeholders, ensuring social listening and feedback mechanisms are in place to guide community engagement efforts for COVID-19 and beyond
• • Facilitate the development of locally relevant and contextually appropriate community engagement materials and approaches, under the leadership of MOH, by bringing state-of-the-art knowledge global and partner agencies together.

Output 3: Support for strategic communications

• • Contribute to the development of regular updates on RCCE activities such as for situation reports, web stories and related documents such as presentations and other communications and information products
• • Assist WHO Cambodia strategic communications team with materials and development of strategic communications strategy as well as support engagement with Cambodian and international media outlets.
  • • Deliverable 3.1: Contribute to development of information and technical documents, situation reports, data analysis and strategic planning in support of the current COVID-19 response and beyond for a strong future health security system in Cambodia.
  • • Deliverable 3.2: Ensure full operational support to MOH on behalf of WHO IMS for operational aspects of laboratory capacity for COVID-19 pandemic response and beyond in Cambodia, including proposal development, guidelines, procurement of commodities/supplies, laboratory management systems, as needed.
  • • Deliverable 3.3: Assist IM and WHE TL on smooth IMS functioning, as needed, including by serving on any relevant cross-IMS working groups and supporting other pillars.

Output 4: Provide technical expertise and operational support to continue strengthening public health laboratory systems in Cambodia with a view to the future health security system under APSED III and future regional and global frameworks that are currently under development such as GISRS+.

• • Deliverable 4.1: Coordinate the implementation of on-going and planned activities for 2021-2022 to support laboratory system strengthening with the Bureau of Medical Laboratory Services (BMLS), CDC/MOH and NIPH particularly focusing on specimen management systems, quality management systems (LQMS, EQA)) and biosafety/biosecurity.
• • Deliverable 4.2: Adapt global guidance and facilitate and lead the development of relevant national guidelines, strategic, policy and technical documents, SOPs, training materials and tools that are needed to operationalize WHO’s support to Cambodia’s public health laboratory system guided by the APSED III framework for capacity building under the IHR 2005.
• • Deliverable 4.3: Technically advise and support especially to NFP and CDC/MOH on strengthening national and subnational capacities of the public health laboratory system overall for infectious disease threats, including AMR, to build a fit-for-the future laboratory surveillance system in Cambodia.
• • Deliverable 4.4: Support WHE Team Lead on work planning and budget development for relevant capacity building activities and technical assistance, including a system for monitoring and evaluation, to enable donor engagement and timely reporting for laboratory activities.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Education

• Essential: Postgraduate degree from a recognized university in laboratory medical sciences, Biomedical Science, Medical Microbiology or other public health related field with public health laboratory training.
• Desirable: Postgraduate degree in public health, laboratory or medical sciences.

Experience

Minimum of five years of experience in on coordination and project management working with international NGOs, development partners or the UN system. A focus on strategic communications related experience is desirable.

Skills and knowledge

Knowledge and skills in developing risk communications materials and approaches, particularly in developing country settings. Experience with communications for crisis management is an asset.

Language

Excellent written and spoken fluency in English is essential.

Competencies

• • Teamwork
• • Producing results
• • Ensuring effective use of resources
• • Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Place of assignment

WHO Cambodia Country Office with travel to provinces in Cambodia as needed

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV {for individual contractors} and Expression of Interest {cover letter} to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 12 November 2021 (1700 GMT+8) 

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. 149610 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.