Consultant- IHR Annual Review

Background

The International Health Regulations (2005) require the development, strengthening and maintenance of core capacities for surveillance and response, and at designated points of entry, to manage health security events. 

Since 2012, Cambodia has developed three national workplans for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergency to achieve IHR Core Capacities with the purpose of building capacities to manage emerging diseases and other public health emergencies. These national workplans have served as the roadmap for Cambodia’s ongoing implementation of the IHR. 

Central to the national work plan development has been the mechanism of national review and planning.  The Cambodia’s annual review and planning process, first formalized in 2012, ensures good coordination and harmonization in work plan activities, monitoring and evaluation requirements and allocation of resources across relevant government sectors and donors/partner agencies operating in country.  This proven mechanism has also demonstrated its value in linking the national-level activities to relevant regional strategies and platforms for international collaboration in collectively strengthening capacities in preparedness and response to the emerging diseases and all public health emergencies.

Under this new monitoring and evaluation framework for the IHR, Cambodia has become the first Member State in the Western Pacific Region to voluntarily conduct a self-evaluation of the IHR core capacities using the new IHR Joint External Evaluation (JEE) Tool. 

The National Plan 2016-2020 serves as a core document for the government and the development partners to provide the necessary resources and to work on the identified priorities and gaps to ensure continued strengthening of the capacities of Cambodia to prepare and respond to emerging diseases and public health emergencies.

The 2018 IHR annual review process will take place in several steps as detailed in the below table. The first two steps covering preparation and 11 area group discussions will take place in Phnom Penh. The last step, focused on presenting the results of the review and agreeing on workplan activities for next year implementation will take place in Kampong Chhnang to ensure involvement of the provincial directors, technical areas experts and partners.

Purpose/Specific Objective of the Activity

The consultant will provide support to WHE unit to prepare and facilitate the implementation of the IHR Annual Review in Cambodia and technical assistance for health emergency communications to support preparedness and response to outbreaks and unusual events.  The consultant will work closely with the WHE unit and the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) Department of the Ministry of Health to support the preparation of the IHR annual review, which includes supporting the organisation and implementation of the 11 technical areas working groups, and the presentation of the results during annual workshop and drafting of report.

Description of activities to be carried out

Provide support to the CDC department of the Ministry of Health to prepare and implement the IHR annual review of the National Workplan for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies to Achieve Core IHR Capacities, which includes

• Organising schedules for the working groups
• Reviewing documents and results of 2017 IHR Annual Review
• Reviewing and preparing the new IHR questionnaire tool and other necessary tools for the working groups
• Briefing CDC team on new tool and review process
• Attending the working group sessions with the WHE team, ensuring support to CDC
• Supporting CDC department in organising the collection of results of working groups
• Attending the Stakeholders workshop and assisting in collecting results
• Drafting the workshop report and revising according advice and comments from WHE team

Method(s) to carry out the activity

The consultant will be under the guidance of WHE Team leader.

• Preparing and attending consultation meetings with CDC and WHE for preparing IHR Review
• Attending the IHR annual review working groups sessions
• Attending the IHR annual review Stakeholder Workshop
• Discussing and preparing Workshop report

Description of the tasks/process involved in carrying out the activity

As above.

Timeline/Duration of assignment
18 October September to 18 November 2018

Deliverable(s) to be submitted during and after the period of the assignment including manner of delivery and payment

1. Preparation of IHR annual review

• Preparation of the IHR new questionnaire tool;
• Preparation of tools and templates for each technical area (11 areas);
• Preparation of briefing to MoH concerning tools, templates and organisation of the working group sessions;
• Supporting CDC in preparing IHR Workshop; and
• Workshop report, including results of IHR questionnaire and 2019 activity workplan.

1. Technical assistance for health emergency communications to support preparedness and response to outbreaks and unusual events

• Support working group on risk communication to review the progress and challenges of this technical area; and
• Recommendations on next steps to further strengthen government capacity on risk communication.

Specific requirements

Education        

• Master’s degree in public health, communication or related field
• Desirable: Focus or training in IHR review process, monitoring and evaluation (such as JEE), health emergency contexts and/or related fields would be an asset

Experience required:

• More than 7 years experience in health and health risk communication
• Experience with WHO International Health Regulations (IHR) and Joint External Evaluation (JEE) monitoring and evaluation process
• Experience in developing and implementing national workplan
• Experience in facilitating working groups and workshop with multi-sectoral stakeholders and ministries
• Experience with health security/emergency implementation at country level, preferably within an Asian country context

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

• Understanding WHO work and health security
• Understanding of International Health Regulations (IHR) and Joint External Evaluation (JEE) monitoring tools
• Negotiations and strategic skills

Language requirements:

• Proficient in English

Competencies

• Communication in a credible and effective way
• Producing results

Applications

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to the CV and send together with the letter of interest via email to the WHO Representative Office before the deadline for submission on 2 October 2018 at WHO email: wpkhmprocurement@who.int. Please use Tender Notice No. 77527 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.