Position Title: Public Health Officer (Epidemiology)
Receiving Agency: WHO
P Level: P3
Location: Amman, Jordan (Whole of Syria sector)
Duration: 6 months
Language: English fluency required. Arabic fluency is desirable. 

TERMS OF REFERENCE
Public Health consultant to support the Whole of Syria Health sector Coordination team, based in Amman, Jordan.
 

Purpose & Duties

Purpose The mission of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme (The WHE Programme) is to help countries with humanitarian crises, aiming at improved predictability of and building the capacity of countries for managing health emergencies. After more than 13 years of conflicts, the evolving complexity of Syria's ongoing humanitarian crisis including the impact of the 2023 devastating earthquake, emerging epidemics and outbreaks combined with a worsening socio-economic condition, deteriorating security situations in northern parts, and environmental pressures are further stretching and disrupting the country's already weak health system. The fragmentation in Syria caused by the protracted conflict continues, for this, the Whole of Syria (WoS) coordination approach was established in 2015 to support harmonized and coordinated health response across the three response areas across Syria. In addition, food insecurity and the water crises have also contributed to an increase in water-borne diseases and the deteriorating malnutrition status of children and pregnant and lactating women. As a result, Syria is vulnerable to a range of hazards and emergencies, including armed conflicts and civil unrest, earthquakes, disease outbreaks, malnutrition, extreme winters and heat waves, floods, and ad hoc accidents. These risks are particularly high due to the ongoing wide movement of population displacement and the continuation of the Syrian crisis. The WoS Health Sector Risk Assessment/Profile was conducted by the WoS Health Sector Coordination Team in collaboration with the WHO Cluster Lead Agency, the WoS Health Sector Coordination Team, the Health Sector Coordinators in the response areas and the EMRO, and identified several risks, including communicable diseases, malnutrition, mass casualties and loss of access to essential health services. For example, despite a decrease in reported suspected AWD/cholera in WoS in 2024, the risk of an increase in waterborne diseases, including acute watery diarrhea (AWD)/cholera, remains extremely high due to multiple environmental pressures such as the ongoing water crisis, displacement/overcrowding, and damage to water and sanitation infrastructure. Moreover, the current fragmentation of surveillance system in some parts of Syria, the synchronization of epidemiological data at WoS remains a challenge. In such fragile context, the WoS health sector team will continue to support the health emergency response coordination to ensure coordinated and harmonized health response across the three response areas in Syria. Since the beginning of August 2024, there has been an increase in the reported cases of AWD (lab confirmed but negative serotype) from the northern part of Syria (Northeast Syria in particular), there is a critical need for the public health/epidemiologist to support in miniating the role of following up with the EWARS/N surveillance team, compiling surveillance data, producing epi bulletin at WoS level. but also, to ensure support to the coordination team in the hubs and guide them in efforts to develop hub specific epi bulletins and strengthen the RRTs and laboratory capacity.  Due to the pending replacement processes, the Whole of Syria health sector coordination team in Amman requires a full-time dedicated public health professional or epidemiologist to support the WoS health sector coordination team by providing technical support in the areas of disease outbreak emergency preparedness and response to assist in identification and regular monitoring of risks, vulnerabilities, and capacities needed to inform the planning and implementation of measures to mitigate all health hazards and prepare the diverse Syrian operation stakeholders to respond to them especially with the current reported increase of AWD cases from the northern part of Syria. This consultancy will strengthen health emergency preparedness and response over all of Syria by analysing available EWARS/ EWARN epidemiological data centrally at WoS level and taking action on unusual trends in coordination with the health cluster, WHO technical officers, health cluster (HC) partners, and WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO). Duties The public health surveillance consultant at WoS is expected to achieve the following deliverables during 3 months’ consultancy:   Produce WoS EWARS/N epi-bulletins (in monthly basis) that represents a combined Whole of Syria epidemiological update from the three response areas across Syria. Development of the surveillance strengthening action plan (early warning alert, and response), including Rapid Response Teams (according to the existing gaps) based on the synchronized EWARS/N surveillance data across the response areas.  Draft 3 specific hazard readiness and contingency plans for high priority hazards identified at WoS and the response areas levels, build on the WoS health sector risk profile and the 2024 – 2025 multi-hazards preparedness plan. Finalize and produce the WoS identification of Priority Areas for Multispectral Interventions (PAMI) exercise analysis and report, and draft the WoS multiyear AWD/cholera preparedness plan accordingly. Draft the Community-Based Surveillance strategy and action plan in coordination and consultation with three WoS response areas. Development of the WoS research and knowledge sharing agenda based on areas that identified in the WoS 2024 - 2025 Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan. Produce WoS health sector bulletins (quarterly basis) that are based on the WoS response efforts, and the relevant outbreak related situation reports (in case of outbreaks). Provide technical support and guidance to the HWG, in particular in northeast Syria, to strengthen surveillance activities, including filling the gap in areas where EWARS/N and RRTs do not exist.  Assist in convening monthly surveillance meetings with the surveillance teams in the response areas and follow up actions.   Deliverables: Monthly technical report. WoS EWARS/N epi bulletins WoS health sector quarterly bulletin PAMI exercise and draft the WoS multi-year AWD/cholera preparedness plan accordingly. Finalized community-based surveillance strategy Monthly Surveillance meetings and track actions sheets The finalized WoS surveillance strengthening action plan in collaboration with the EWARS/N surveillance teams in WCO and HLG.

Contract Duration

6 months

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Qualifications Education: University degree in Medicine, Nursing, or relevant health discipline with a master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, statistics, database management from an accredited/recognized institute. Desirable: specialization in epidemiology and/or communicable diseases control, specialized training in surveillance and/or epidemiology or communicable/infectious diseases. Experience Essential: At least 5 years of experience in quantitative epidemiology or public health programs in the area of surveillance, disease control, and immunization in humanitarian and fragile settings. Desirable: Previous experience in response to disease outbreaks (such as cholera), prior humanitarian working experience at field level with WHO/UN, health cluster partners, recognized humanitarian organization or with an international nongovernmental organization, working experience in developing countries and/or health emergencies contexts. Work experience in health cluster relevant functions is preferable.  Skills/Knowledge Excellent communication and coordination skills are required and as well strong epidemiological analytical skills and experience with technical writing and reporting. Demonstrated tact and high sense of responsibility and discretion. Excellent computer skills and experience in preparing communication materials. Excellent research, drafting and reporting skills. Languages Excellent knowledge (written & spoken) of English. Arabic is preferable.

Supervision

The consultant will report to the Whole of Syria health sector Coordinator based in Amman.

Location

The location of the consultancy is in WHE (Whole of Syria Health Sector Coordination), Amman, Jordan.

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