Surveillance and Response Assistant (WHO Health Emergencies Programme)

(Special Service Agreement, for initial period of 12 months)

Purpose of the Post:

To provide technical support to Ministry of Health for preparedness and response for COVID-19 and other public health emergencies, particularly on the implementation of the Emergency Operations Center and multisource surveillance in Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

Description of Duties:

In collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Lao PDR, the WHO Representative, and the WHO Health Emergency Programme team, the incumbent will conduct the following activities:

1. Support the Department of Communicable Disease Control (DCDC) in sustaining multisource surveillance implementation at the national and sub-national levels.
2. Work closely with WHE team and Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) team to strengthen PHEOC capacity at the national and sub-national levels.
3. Support International Health Regulations (IHR) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework activities including review and revision of national workplans, intra- and after-action reviews and simulation exercises.
4. Develop materials for trainings and meetings related to COVID-19 and other public health emergencies.
5. Support rapid response teams during acute public health events.
6. Support in developing activity proposals, budget plans and technical reports related to COVID-19 and other surveillance activities
7. Translate relevant documents including those related to COVID-19 and other surveillance activities.
8. Attend meetings, trainings or workshops and other related events as requested, and provide simultaneous/consecutive interpretation.
9. Other duties as assigned by DCDC and WHO Health Emergency (WHE) Programme.

Planned timelines

Start date:         1 January 2023

End date:          31 December 2023

Education:

• Essential: University Bachelor’s degree in Medical Sciences or health-related field.
• Desirable: Background in public health.

Experience:

• Essential:  At least two years work experience in public health
• Desirable: Experience working in surveillance for communicable diseases  

Knowledge & skills:

• Demonstrated knowledge of data entry and management; 
• Ability to work independently under pressure and to deliver high-quality work on-time;
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work as a member of a team;
• Demonstrated skills of translating and interpreting from English into Lao and vice versa;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Excellent computer skills in using Microsoft Word, Excel, PPT.             

Language: 

Essential: Fluency in Lao and English language (reading, written and spoken)

Other skills (e.g. IT):

• Flexibility for urgent work
• Proficiency in standard MS Office applications.

Interested and qualified candidates are invited to submit applications and curriculum vitae in the English language with a subject "Surveillance and Response Assistant (WHO Health Emergencies Programme” to the following Email address : wplaohr@who.int by 30 November 2022 at 17:00. Applications without a proper subject might be disregarded.