Technical Officer

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Description

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The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage public health threats and health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international response to contain outbreaks and health emergencies and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.The unit of Infectious Hazards Preparedness is responsible for supporting countries for prevention and control of high threat diseases of both epidemic and pandemic potential through development and dissemination of evidence-based strategies, policies, tools, norms and standards to manage infectious disease hazards.

The team of High Threat Pathogens (PAT) develops strategies, guidance, regional mechanisms and interventions to address high threat pathogens responsible for epidemics or pandemics thereby reducing their impact on affected populations and limiting their international spread. This group deals with known high threat pathogens such as cholera, dengue, influenza, avian influenza, Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHF), Zika, coronaviruses like the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), meningitis and plague.

Description Of Duties:

• Provide technical leadership, guidance and expert advice related to the surveillance, detection and response to High Threat Pathogen diseases of epidemic and pandemic potentials that are specific to the Region.
• Develop evidence-informed manuals, guidance, norms and standards for early detection, prevention and control of high threat pathogen diseases that are specific to the Region.
• Establish partnerships to facilitate data analysis, epidemic intelligence, epidemic forecasting and knowledge sharing, in particular on the disease transmission and public health impact, identify gaps in knowledge and develop plans and study protocols to address gaps. Implement plan of activities and monitor progress through expert networks.
• Monitor the risk of High Threat Pathogens, including public health risks in countries affected by crisis, ensure quality of the information received from the field and inform timely senior management so that the Organization can get prepared for any change in the situation.
• Collaborate with the transfer of knowledge team to develop user-friendly materials for early warning surveillance system, and training. Establish strong collaborations with other teams/departments at WHO and other partner agencies to cover the various aspects of the public health response to outbreaks .
• Support and advise WHO Country Offices on the development and implementation of strategic plans to establish and strengthen national response to outbreaks from high threat pathogens.
• Provide technical support for establishing appropriate surveillance system for early detection, containment and response to emerging and other high threat pathogens; Develop plans to improve/enhance surveillance capacities for event detection, verification and response.
• Provide support to the countries for development and implementation of appropriate policies and programmes for prevention and control of influenza and other emerging diseases including those from high threat pathogens.
• Assist the countries to develop public health preparedness plans for high threat pathogens including for Pandemic Human Influenza.
• Act as the technical lead in the incident management structure and establish strong collaborations with other teams/departments at WHO and other partner agencies to cover the various aspects of the public health response to outbreaks of high threat pathogens.
• Perform other related duties including replacing and backstopping as required.

Required Qualifications:
Education:

• Essential: University degree in medicine or other science related field, with masters degree in public health.
• Desirable: Training on epidemiological surveillance and response/outbreak investigation/field epidemiology

Experience:

• Essential: At least 7years of experience, including international exposure, working on the control and prevention of infectious diseases . Proven experience in managing finances, budgets and staff and clear proof of responsibility for management of work plan activities.
• Desirable: Proven primary responsibility for managing cross-cutting initiatives involving different departments or organizational entities in a multinational context such as the UN, WHO or similar.

Skills:

• Knowledge on epidemiology of infectious diseases.
• Proven understanding of the management of early warning surveillance system including acute and urgent public health responses, including infectious disease outbreaks.
• Experience in outbreak investigation and management
• Proven experience in management (finances, budgets and staff) and clear proof of responsibility for management of work plan activities.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in building sustained partnerships and working with others in international settings.
• Capacity to work on cross-sectoral projects.

Use of Language Skills:

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
• Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of Arabic.

Source: https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2309442

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