Medical Officer HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs, MCAT (Multiple Locations: Mozambique, Ghana, Senegal, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe/ WHO Roster)
World Health Organization (WHO)
AF/UCN UHC/Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases
Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Senegal, Ghana, Multiple locations
Grade: P4, Mid-level Professional
Occupations: Healthcare, Sexual and reproductive health
Close on 24 Nov 2021
JOB DESCRIPTION
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Cluster: Universal Health Coverage / Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases (UCN)
Programme Areas: HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and other Sexually Transmitted Infections
Unit/Team: WHO Representative’s Office/Multicountry Assignment Team (MCAT)
Position Title: Medical Officer HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs
Position No:
Envisaged Position Grade: P04
Objectives of the Programme and Of the Immediate Strategic Objectives
The overall objective of the HIV, STIs, Tuberculosis and Hepatitis (HTH) Programme is to provide policy guidance and technical assistance to Member States to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate multisectoral, evidence-based and people-centred policies, strategies, guidelines and plans, through strengthened and resilient health systems, to deliver high-quality, integrated essential packages at all levels of care, for the prevention and control of HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections, Viral Hepatitis, and Tuberculosis towards the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the WHO African Region, in collaboration with partners.
The Programme builds and strengthens strategic partnerships with global and regional partners, for synergy and harmonization of strategies and approaches for enhanced impact in Member States; provides technical assistance to Member States to implement the WHO HIV, TB, hepatitis and STI guidelines and tools for strengthening national response, with focus on district and facility performance, including analysing and using services cascades; and for monitoring and reporting on the health sector response towards the 2030 targets through field performance review and the preparation of periodic reports on trends and progress towards national, regional and global targets for HTH. The Programme also works with Member States to secure funding from development partners and donors, in addition to domestic sources for implementing and scaling up HTH programmes and to strengthen their capacity to efficiently implement and account for the grants; and supports the development and implementation of the HTH research agenda aimed at strengthening national capacity to conduct operational research, epidemiological surveys and research to facilitate the uptake of new and innovative diagnostic technologies, treatment and care regimens and models, in order to strengthen evidence-based policy decision-making and programmes implementation, in collaboration with partners.
The goal is to enable countries in the WHO African Region to ensure evidence-based policies and strategies are implemented to achieve universal coverage of high-quality, integrated, people-centered health services, and to measure the impact of interventions
Purpose of the Position
Within the context of the UCN Cluster, the purpose of the position is to provide technical leadership to the work of the Multicountry Assignment Teams (MCATs) in the identified locations in the development, adaptation, promotion, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of strategies, norms, standards, cross-cutting guidelines, research and systems to strengthen capacity of Member States and ensure the achievement of national and regional goals in the fight against HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs (HTH) through strengthened and resilient health systems; multisectoral action across the life course and continuum of care. The incumbent will also ensure that WHO plays among in-country partners, on one hand, a convening role supporting the national response to HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs, and on the other hand, a leadership role in policy dialogue to mitigate the bottlenecks to the national response to these diseases.
Organizational Context (Describe the work environment; the role of the individual within the team – team member, specialist, adviser, facilitator, coordinator/manager, representative, expert, authority in the field, etc.; available guidelines and degree of independence in decision making; and nature and purpose of contact within and outside the Organization):
Context – Under the direct supervision of the WHO Representative (WR) in the host country and UCN Director, in consultation with other WRs sharing in the Multicounty Assignment Teams (MCATs) in the identified locations, and in close collaboration with the technical programmes at the Regional Office, the incumbent is an organizational specialist who will lead, and facilitate, the development and implementation of HIV, STIs, TB, Hepatitis , guidelines, prevention and control measures, policies, interventions and research as part of health sector development plans and essential health services packages for member states. S/he will ensure that all countries of assignment technical support needs are fulfilled working with the WRs, other MCATs, clusters and strategic partners, including through the use of expertise outside of WHO, prioritizing local expertise.
Contacts – Under the overall supervision of the hosting WR and UCN Director and in consultation with other WRs[1], the general Functional supervision of the MCATs Coordinator, the incumbent will collaborate with other UCN Programmes and Clusters of the Regional Office, WHO Country offices and Collaborating Centers, as well as ministries of health, research and teaching institutions, other national health officials, and strategic partners including UN Country teams, bilateral and multilateral donors, community-based and community-led organizations, Civil Society organizations and other NGOs.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The incumbent will be expected to perform the following duties:
The incumbent will implement innovative ways of working to facilitate strong collaboration and linkages with programmes, clusters, and partners (WHO Collaborating Centers, research and teaching institutions, regional and sub regional economic entities, NGOs, etc.) to ensure that appropriate, efficient and timely support is provided to countries even during emergencies;
• . Support the policy dialogue role of the WR, through consistently collecting, analyzing and presenting strategic information to help address operational, strategic and policy levels bottlenecks across the health sector, in order to unlock progress of the national response to HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs;
• Support early adoption, adaptation and implementation of new WHO guidelines related to HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs (HTH), including drug-resistance guidelines, prevention, and control measures;
• Support the strategic planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the health sector contribution to the national HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs strategies, ensuring that they are aligned to national health strategies and priority is given to the primary health care level, with relevant communities involved in the delivery of essential packages of quality people-centered high-impact interventions;
• Facilitate close collaboration between HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs programmes, towards effective integration of strategies, interventions and services at primary health care level, through the health systems strengthening pillars;
• Support the development of contingency plans for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs programmes to ensure continuity of essential services during public health and humanitarian emergencies and ensure that HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs interventions are prioritized in Emergency Response Plans;
• Support Member States resource mobilization efforts towards bilateral and multilateral donors and increased domestic sources, positioning WHO as a key actor for support to the implementation with fidelity and accountability of grants;
• Facilitate capacity building for research and reporting system integrated into the national health information system;
• Foster consistent periodical report publication and research activities, including operational research, epidemiologic surveys and research, to facilitate the uptake of new and innovative diagnostic technologies, treatment and care regimens and models, in order to strengthen evidence-based policy decision-making and programmes implementation;
• Facilitate WHO convening role of stakeholders of the health sector for further synergy and harmonization of interventions, in order to optimize the contribution of the sector to the national response to HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs;
• Provide advice and guidance to countries, and collaborate with regional and national partners on the elaboration and implementation of resource mobilization and advocacy strategies;
• Support the Team Leader in the development of work plans and budgetary proposals, as required;
• Perform other related responsibilities as assigned, including replacing and backstopping for others as required.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
WHO Competencies
• Moving forward in a changing environment
• Promoting the Organization’s position in Health Leadership
• Producing Results
• Building and Promoting Partnerships across the Organization and Beyond
• Communication
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Functional Knowledge and Skills
• Demonstrated ability to develop, innovate, coordinate and monitor the adoption and implementation of norms, standards and plans related to HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs, including drug-resistance based on epidemiology, results, progress, lessons learnt and gap analysis.
• Proven track record in the development and implementation of effective reporting mechanisms and systems for monitoring, evaluation and assessment of progress at the regional and country levels.
Education
Essential:
• Degree in medicine or equivalent medical / health degree
• Specialization or post-graduate qualification in public health/epidemiology/internal medicine or infectious diseases
Desirable:
Training in Management of health programmes
Experience
Essential:
• A minimum of seven (7) years’ experience in the field of public-health, programmatic management for HTH programmes or infectious diseases at the national and/or international levels, including drug resistance;
• Experience in policy, strategy and planning formulation, guidelines development and facilitating consultations, and technical support for programme reviews and or evaluation;
• Experience in support to country reporting regarding HTH programmes;
• Experience of participation or leading role in epidemiology, research and analysis.
Desirable:
• Experience in capacity building, developing, and promoting collaborative partnerships.
• Relevant work experience in International Organizations, UN agencies, non-governmental or humanitarian organizations.
• Field experience in developing countries.
Use of Language Skills
Essential: Proficient knowledge of English and/or French or Portuguese with good working knowledge of the other.
Other Skills (e.g. IT)
• Good level of computer literacy; the ability to analyze and manage electronic information; and familiarity with eHealth tools including epidemiological and statistical software.