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Vacancy Notice No: /16/TASR169
Title: National Professional Officer/Surveillance
Grade: NO-B
Contract type: Temporary Appointment under Staff Rule 420.4
Duration of contract: 1 year renewable
Date: 30 December 2016
Application Deadline: 17 January 2017
(14 day(s) until closing deadline)
Currently accepting applications
Duty Station: Lusaka, Zambia
Organization unit:
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME :
Under the DFID health emergency project, provide technical guidance to and cooperate with national authorities and cooperating partners in all activities aimed at achieving and maintaining quality surveillance within the framework of IDSR. In addition he/she assists in supporting routine and supplemental immunization activities
Objectives of the Programme and of the immediate unit or field activity
Sustain standard surveillance as a strategy to reduce mortality caused by communicable diseases
Strengthen integrated disease surveillance and response (IDSR);
Achieve accelerated disease control through support for supplemental immunization activities.
Organizational Context
The National Surveillance Officer (NSO) will work under the supervision of WR and direct guidance and supervision of the National Routine Immunization Officer, (NPO/NOC), the EPI Team Leader at the WCO. The work environment is primarily in the field, with occasional office work for planning, prepare guidelines and report writing. The NSO will be the focal point for surveillance activities in the Provinces and Districts assigned to him/her, and will work closely with government counterparts and cooperating partners in those provinces/districts.
Description of duties:
Provide technical assistance to Ministry of Health and other actors in the planning implementation, monitoring and evaluation of an effective disease surveillance within the context of integrated Disease Surveillance and Response;
Provide technical support to the Ministry of Health, at all levels, and to communities, in fostering partnerships for resource mobilization for IDSR programme;
Provide technical support to the Ministry of Health, and other relevant authorities to establish/maintain monitoring systems for IDSR activities, as well as for all communicable diseases;
Prepare and disseminate weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual progress reports of activities completed;
In consultation with the central, provincial and district teams in Ministry of Health, coordinate surveillance and immunization activities in the assigned zones.
Initiate and conduct outbreak investigation and report appropriately
Collaborate closely with health workers at health facility and community level for all surveillance and immunization activities, providing regular technical support and feedback.
Establish partnerships with health NGOs in the regions, zone particularly in places where access is compromised with the aim of improving surveillance and immunization.
Monitor surveillance data regularly and create and implement action plans in areas where data shows gaps or weaknesses.
Provide technical support at all levels of the government structure and with other partners to achieve high quality surveillance activities.
Provide trainings and technical support to improve, public health emergency and outbreak management, strengthening rapid response team, and communicable disease surveillance
Provide technical support to facilitate provision of emergency medical and laboratory supplies, strengthening specimen collection and laboratory testing for response to priority communicable disease in the area of assignment
Provide technical support to the region assigned to strengthen, establish and monitor disease surveillance systems and immunization in all catchment area.
Provide technical support to strengthen communication and social mobilization through: reactivating communication committees, developing surveillance/immunization focused communication strategy and messages, conducting partner mapping and establishing social mobilization network, conducting advocacy meetings at different level and designing mechanism to use local available mass-media.
Establish coordination/partnership forums and hold regular coordination meetings with stakeholders and partners in regard to surveillance and immunization
Provide support to the regional, health offices and health workers at health facility level and community level for all surveillance, immunization, and outbreak investigations activities by conducting regular technical supportive supervision and feedback
Monitor disease surveillance and immunization data regularly and develop and implement action plans in areas where data shows gaps or weaknesses on surveillance and immunization, and Share information and response efforts regularly and timely
Submit quarterly, monthly, and as needed activity reports and deliverables as per SOPs to WHO Country Office and the regional coordinator
Assist with timely utilization and retirement of funds at every level
Carry out any other assignments as assigned by supervisors
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Essential: BSC Public health, Nursing or related fields
Desirable: Postgraduate qualification in a public health , medicine or related discipline
Skills:
Competencies: Generic
1. Producing results;
2. Moving forward in a changing environment;
3. Communicating in a credible and effective way; 4. Building and promoting partnership across the
5. Ensuring the effective use of resources; organization and beyond.
Competencies: Functional
The incumbent NSO should have knowledge and skills in basic epidemiology and biostatistics, planning, programme management and coordination, especially related to disease surveillance, in outbreak investigation of all diseases especially communicable diseases under surveillance, and in routine immunization.
Other Skills:
Excellent knowledge of software programmes for word processing, data analysis and spreadsheets
Experience:
Essential:
Several years' work experience in public health with emphasis in surveillance, health emergencies or other child health programmes
Desirable:
working experience with national authorities, experience working with UN/WHO and other large international organizations is an added advantage.
Languages:
Excellent knowledge of both written and spoken English. Knowledge of any other UN languages; especially French is an added advantage.
This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level.
Online applications are strongly encouraged to enable WHO to store your profile in a permanent database. Please visit WHO's e-Recruitment website at: www.who.int/employment. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement.
WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.