Short Term Consultancy-Technical support in delivering trainings for the prevention of hearing loss in Tuvalu TEMPORARILY DISCONTINUED
- BACKGROUND
Tuvalu Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) operates its health systems with a main hospital located in Funafuti, main island, where most of clinicians provide ambulatory and inpatient care to the resident of Funafuti and people referred from the outer islands. As of 2017, there are 26 medical officers who are working for the main hospital. Because of service gap in the hospital, MOHSW also welcomes visiting medical teams from Australia, New Zealand and Chinese Taipei that provide short-term clinical services on cardiology, ophthalmology, paediatrics, dermatology, psychiatry and ENT.
According to WHO report on hearing impairment, there are 47.04 million people in the Asia-Pacific disabling hearing loss which accounts 6.9 % as prevalence in both sexes. There is a projection that this number may increase to 95 million people by 2050. There is no official data or statistics published about Tuvalu, but a research paper authored by Sanders et al. in 2015 demonstrates that 20-23% of total population in Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau and Tonga. It is very likely that those hearing impairments have been caused by chronic otitis media due to lack of early screening and treatment for the disease.
In line with the burden of the disease and disability in the region, MOHSW requests WHO’s technical support in delivering trainings for the prevention of hearing loss and up-skilling clinicians attending the Princess Margaret Hospital for ENT practices. Given that the Pacific Community (SPC) also provides technical support on improving clinical services in the Pacific region, this consultancy contract will contribute to coordinated efforts in improving the quality of clinical services in the Pacific by WHO and SPC.
2. PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY
Working closely with the Tuvalu Ministry of Health and the WHO Pacific Health Systems and Policy team, the consultant will provide knowledge and clinical skills on the prevention of hearing loss and to improve of the quality of ENT practice.
3. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT
Output 1: Review the country situation on hearing loss and ENT related cases seen by physicians in the main hospital
- Deliverable 1.1: a work plan with a short summary of country situation will be submitted
Output 2: Deliver in-country trainings on the prevention of hearing loss and ENT clinical skillsets
- Deliverable 2.1: well designed in-country trainings will be delivered and a final report on the training will be submitted
4. METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY
- Desktop review to understand the current situation with hearing loss and ENT related diseases in the country; and
- Provide in-country training on the prevention of hearing loss and to improve ENT clinical skillsets.
5. QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Education required: medical degree with speciality on ENT
- Working experience required: At least seven years of working experience in ear-nose-throat medical specialty. Experience in providing training for medical doctors on ear-nose-throat in Pacific countries is considered as asset.
- Language requirements: Written and spoken fluency in English is essential.
LANGUAGES
High level of written and spoken English
COMPETENCIES
Culturally sensitive,
Communicating in a credible and effective way; and
Producing results.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The duration for the assignment is in December 2019, with 10 working days.
Proposed activities
Due dates
Proposed work plan submitted
1st week of December
Submit an activity report on in-country trainings on ENT clinical skillsets and the prevention of hearing loss
1st week of December
Submit a final report on trainings on ENT clinical skillsets and the prevention of hearing loss that describe the future plan for hearing ability screening
2nd week of December
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 11 November 2019.
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. WPRO/2019-10/DPS_PHS/TN99420/mom as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.