To apply for the consultancy, please send your CV and motivational letter in English language by email to eurowhokgz@who.int before 23:59 Bishkek time on 31 October 2023.

The health of humans and animals is vitally interlinked. A majority of emerging and endemic human diseases have their origins in animals, be they transmitted directly, through food or via the environment. Animal-specific diseases can also have indirect implications for human health through food security and other impacts on livelihood. There is therefore a shared responsibility and synergic potential for collaboration between human, animal and environmental health sectors to deal with foodborne and zoonotic diseases and other threats at the human-animal-environment interface.

WHO Member States adopted the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005), for the prevention and control of events that may constitute a public health emergency of international concern. The IHR Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (MEF) has been developed to provide a comprehensive, accurate, country-level overview of the implementation of requirements under the IHR to develop and monitor capacities to detect, monitor and maintain public health capacities and functions. This helps inform priorities for interventions to strengthen minimum national core public health capacities as defined by the IHR (2005).

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) is the international organization responsible for developing standards, guidelines and recommendations for animal health and prevention of zoonoses. WOAH’s Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway is a range of tools to provide countries with a comprehensive understanding of strengths and weaknesses in their veterinary services using a globally consistent methodology based on international standards.

The joint use of WHO IHR MEF and OIE PVS Pathway can result in better alignment of capacity building approach and strategies between human and animal health services of a country. For this purpose, the IHR-PVS National Bridging Workshops (NBW) were developed. A NBW is a three-day event which enables the animal health and the human health sectors in countries to explore overlapping areas and develop, where relevant, appropriate bridges to facilitate coordination. The key output of these NBW is the NBW Roadmap, a joint action plan that the animal health and human health sectors have developed jointly to improve their collaboration. NBW roadmaps may serve to directly guide countries’ work to strengthen IHR core capacities or provide input to broader strategic and operational national health security action plans.

As part of the NBW follow-up strategy and to support the operationalization of the One Health concept, a nationally recruited One Health Catalyst will be recruited to advocate, catalyse, and provide technical assistance to the country for the implementation of the NBW Roadmap and other priority activities.

 

Qualification requirements

 

Qualifications required:

Essential: University degree in public health, food safety or veterinary studies

 

Experience required:

·         At least 5 years’ experience in public health, food safety or zoonotic diseases detection, prevention and control.

·         Experience with public health or animal health systems in host country.

·         Very good understanding of the One Health approach and how it can be implemented.

·         Experience in coordination, collaboration and facilitation of capacity building activities across the human-animal interface.

 

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

·         Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and sensitivity to political and cultural issues

·         Proven ability to work in multisectoral teams

·         Proven ability to meet deadlines

 

Language requirements:

o   Excellent knowledge of English;

o   Excellent knowledge of Russian;

• Working knowledge of Kyrgyz.

 

Duties

Overall objective is to evaluate and catalyst to the implementation of the National Bridging Workshops roadmap and other activities contributing to strengthen capacity to address foodborne and zoonotic diseases and other health threats in the human-animal-environment interface in Kyrgyzstan using the One Health approach.

 

The work of the Catalyst will be to:

§  Active liaising with the stakeholders in the human-, animal- and environmental health sectors following the NBW roadmap and other One Health priorities;

§  Advocate and provide facilitation support and technical assistance to the implementation of priority activities using the One Health approach to address health treats originating in the human-animal-environment interface;

§  Organize online and face-to-face meetings and workshops to build capacity and facilitate implementation of priority activities;

§  Identify challenges in the operationalization of the collaboration between the human, animal and environmental health sectors, propose solutions and possible need for support by the Quadripartite partners;

§  Identify low-cost high-impact One Health related activities which could be supported by the Quadripartite;

§  Ensure the alignment of activities with, and support their use for the implementation of other strategies and plans in Kyrgyzstan such as the Roadmap for Health and Well-being in Central Asia (2022-2025), the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) and the health strategy Healthy Person – Prosperous Country 2019-2030;

§  Actively contribute to the network of One Health catalysts and participate in the animation of the NBW community (online forums, yearly NBW network consultative meeting);

§  Drafts documentation and reports on progress of One health and food-borne activities that contribute to the implementation of IHR and other priority technical programmes

 

 

Conditions

• To apply for the consultancy, please send your CV and motivational letter in English language by email to eurowhokgz@who.int before 23:59 Bishkek time on 31 October 2023.
• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test and/or an asynchronous video assessment may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

• • The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (

https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion

• ) are strongly encouraged to apply.

• • Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to

reasonableaccommodation@who.int

• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

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• WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.

• The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.

• Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.

• This post is subject to local recruitment and will be filled by persons recruited in the local commuting area of the duty station.

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