Latest Recruitment at the World Health Organization (WHO)

The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to help countries, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies.

Description of duties

Under the supervision and guidance of the WR, the incumbent will be required to perform all or part of the following duties:

• Lead WHO’s emergency response program at national or subnational level;
• Advise the Ministry of Health (MoH) on the establishment/strengthening of an Emergency Management System/Emergency Operation Centre (IMS/EOC) for multi-sectoral emergency response that includes staffing, defined roles/responsibilities and resources for key functional areas.
• Support the regular testing of the emergency response system through functional exercises at the national and local levels.
• Coordinate the development, distribution and use of Standard Operations Procedures (SOPs) for IMS functions and field activities to manage priority risks (including enhanced surveillance, investigation and rapid response, contact tracing, sampling, infection prevention and control, outbreak vaccination, etc.).
• Oversee the management and distribution of national medical stockpiles through stockpile management systems.
• Strengthening and testing Emergency Management Systems: Coordinate all aspects of the emergency programme, at the country level, to ensure the concerted approach of WHO in the areas of emergency information management, Country preparedness and International Health Regulations (2005), risk assessments and Infectious hazard management.
• Support national and local health authorities, partner with UN agencies, international, governmental and nongovernmental organizations/institutions, to:

a) Strengthen the national capability to prepare and respond to health emergencies from all hazards, ensure the required national procedures, skills, coordination mechanisms and health systems are strengthened to manage identified risks.

b) Assess and map existing and emerging health risks in the country and prepare a national risk profile based on a risk assessment.

c) Assess health needs of affected populations in cooperation with technical units at RO and HQ level

d) Assess capacities for emergency management, including preparedness, and develop a national Health Emergency Response Plan.

e) Review the National Health Plan /National Health Emergency Response Plan as needed, take additional action, including the development of contingency plans for specific high priority risks.

f) Mobilize and coordinate resources, oversee the operational and strategic planning of the health response plans, identify resource needs and funding gaps; encourage donors to fund the overall health sector response to affected populations.

• Represent WHO to external stakeholders, including donors and partners, with respect to the country operations.
• Coordinate with other agencies and I/NGOs through the Health Cluster approach and directly as operational implementing partner.
• Operations and Finance Lead the planning, formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of strategies, operational and HR plans for the WHO’s overall emergency preparedness, response and recovery activities.
• Manage sensitive issues arising from the emergency.
• Oversee the development a detailed task-based work plan and budget for implementation of priority activities identified in the National Health Emergency Response Plan.
• Ensure the country has accessible contingency funds for immediate response to emergencies, including, outbreaks at national and other appropriate sites.
• Determine staffing needs, ensure the mobilization of the required human resources.
• Provide leadership, motivation, guidance, and performance management of staff and experts.
• Take concrete measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all WHO responders.
• Monitoring and reporting: In cooperation with other levels of response authorize the release of related information, communications, advocacy products and statements to internal and external partners as well as to the public.
• Monitor and provide guidance and briefings to senior and elected officials as required, on the progress and implementation of preparedness and operational readiness activities in alignment with the national action plan and throughout the full cycle of the emergency, including financial and implementation tracking, and output/impact monitoring.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.