Short Term Consultant- Climate Change and Health Research
Background
Recent years have seen increasing attention being given to the links between climate change and human health in the South-East Asian region. In Cambodia, a number of recent pilot projects, focused on vector-borne and water-borne diseases, and their links with climatic factors such as rainfall, temperature, droughts and floods, have contributed significantly to the body of knowledge on this topic. These previous projects were developed in response to the Ministry of Health’s National Climate Change Action Plan for Public Health, which lists vector-borne diseases, water-borne diseases and the health impacts of extreme weather events as the major priorities for climate change and health adaptation in Cambodia.
So far, there has been little knowledge of other potential health impacts of climate change in the country. Furthermore, robust methods by which to identify vulnerable groups and evaluate adaptation actions in the health sector are limited. In light of these capacity gaps, the Cambodian Climate Change Alliance (CCCA) has granted funding for a research project titled “Vulnerability and Impact Research Targeting Usability and Effectiveness” to MoH in June 2016. This research project has been designed to complement and add value to the two existing projects: i) “Strengthening Country Capacity to Deal Effectively with Climate-Sensitive Vector-Borne and Water-Related Diseases and Reducing the Health Impacts of Disasters” and ii) the development of indicators for monitoring and evaluation of climate change adaptation in the health sector. It is expected that this project will improve health sector understanding of climate-sensitive health risks in Cambodia, and of the vulnerability of communities to these risks. The project is led by the MoH’s Department of Preventive Medicine (PMD), which chairs the Climate Change Technical Working Group.
Purpose/Specific Objective of the Activity
The short term consultant (STC) will support research project “Vulnerability and Impact Research Targeting Usability and Effectiveness”
Description of activities to be carried out
- Desk review report
- Finalize summary report for MoH endorsement, incorporating all related updates.
- Vulnerability Index
- Finalize climate change and health vulnerability index methodology, including indicator selection.
- Work with Preventive Medicine Department to identifying data sources and compile data for indicators, as well as presentation of results using GIS.
- Compilation/analysis of data and presentation of findings.
- Prepare a plan for future development/updating of index, particularly in terms of opportunities to link with other vulnerability assessments (eg. the V&A planned by ADB), and considering WHO guidelines for V&A
- Assist with publication/dissemination of results.
- Work with climate change technical working group and WHO staff to support ongoing implementation and links to other CC&H projects, particularly GEF-funded project.
Timeline/Duration of assignment
1 June to 31 December 2018
Deliverable(s) to be submitted during and after the period of the assignment including manner of delivery and payment
Output 1: Desk review report
Deliverable 1.1: Final summary for consideration of MoH endorsement
Output 2: Vulnerability Index
Deliverable 2.1: Final document outlining background, methodology and indicator selection.
Deliverable 2.2: Compilation of data for the selected indicator, calculation of index by province, potential application of results, suggested plan for validation and further development of index, suggested plan for use/application of index and links to other V&A processes
Specific requirements
- Qualifications required:
- Post graduate degree in public health, Environmental Sciences, and/or related discipline (master or higher level education desirable).
- Experience required:
- At three year experience working in the areas of climate change and health.
- Experience with data collection, designing and implementing climate change and health vulnerability index.
- Proven research experience in developing countries with knowledge of statistic and research methodologies.
- Demonstrated ability to produce high quality study/review and/or analytical reports.
- Experience in country and/or region on development and implementation of similar research on climate change and health project is particularly valuable.
- Proven experience in collaborating/involving with UN/International setting in the climate change and health.
- Proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel and Word).
- Skills/Technical skills and knowledge:
- Demonstrate multidisciplinary expertise and skills necessary for the design, implementation and vulnerability index, monitoring/evaluation project implementation in the face of climate and environmental change.
- Has strong academic backgrounds and experience in providing training on climate change and health vulnerability index.
- Language requirements:
- Fluency in English is required and Khmer a plus.
- Competencies
The individual consultant should have the following competencies:
- Demonstrates knowledge/ability of how to access local, national and international information about climate change vulnerability and its effect on health.
- Active involvement in collaborative development work with health and environmental professionals in climate change and health management.
- Capacity to evaluate information about climate change vulnerability and its effects on health to improve decisions about health services delivery.
- Ability to train government staff at all level.
Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to send CV, letter of interest and the financial proposal to the WHO Representative Office wpkhmprocurement@who.int by 30 April 2018. Please use Tender Notice No. 70475 as subject to all submissions.
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For additional information and full ToR please contact the WHO office in Phnom Penh located at 1st Floor No. 61-64, Preah Norodom Blvd. (corner St. 306), Sangkat Boeung Keng Kang I, Khan Chamkar Morn, Phnom Penh , or by telephone under (023)216610.