Consultants-Technical support to the MCDE initiative- CDP/HPD Band Level A

Position details

• Vacancy number: 2604436
• Contractual arrangement: External consultant
• Contract duration: 9 months
• Organization: EM/HPD Health Promotion, Disease Prevention %26 Control
• Schedule: Full-time
• Closing date: Oct 23, 2026, 3:29:00 AM

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Purpose of the consultancy

To provide technical support to the multi-communicable disease elimination (MCDE) initiative in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).

This includes compiling and reviewing technical input to support the finalization of the EMRO MCDE framework; conducting reviews and compiling information to support the implementation of the MCDE Resolution, including on cross-border collaboration and the investment case; compiling information to support country-level MCDE planning and dialogues; and providing technical input to the MCDE regional portal/dashboard and to the integration of climate-sensitive indicators and climate-epidemiological information into surveillance systems

Background

The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) carries a high burden of multiple communicable diseases, including hepatitis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), tuberculosis (TB) and mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B, which together accounted for more than 8 million disability-adjusted life years in 2023. National elimination efforts remain largely vertical and fragmented, progress is uneven and vulnerable to reversal, and elimination cannot be sustained in one country while neighboring countries remain reservoirs of transmission.

Elimination is further challenged by drug and insecticide resistance, invasive vectors and the growing impact of climate change, as floods, droughts and extreme weather alter transmission and disrupt services, and by population mobility, mass gatherings, protracted conflict and humanitarian crises. Disease elimination therefore has to be pursued as a shared regional commitment rather than a national objective alone.

In response, WHO EMRO has launched a regional Multi-Communicable Disease Elimination (MCDE) initiative to integrate interventions across disease-specific programmes, harmonize service delivery and accelerate measurable progress at national, subnational and cross-border levels. At the request of the Regional Committee (RC73) Sub-committee, a Technical Paper and Resolution on a multi-disease elimination architecture for communicable diseases will be presented at RC73 in 2026. The paper, developed through two consultations with Member States and experts, includes an initial MCDE heatmap and framework to be refined with further evidence and expert consensus and finalized as an EMRO strategy document after adoption. The next phase after RC73 will be to publish an EMRO document including the MCDE approach and full framework, and to implement the recommendations to the Regional Director included in the Resolution.

Climate change is a direct determinant of progress towards elimination for several MCDE priority diseases, in particular malaria and vector-borne NTDs. Resolution EM/RC72/R.6 (2025) and the operational action plan for climate change and health 2026 to 2030 call for the integration of climate information into national disease surveillance and early warning, with progress reported from RC74 in 2027. The Climate Change, Health and Environment (CHE) unit is developing country guidance on integrating climate and disease surveillance, a regional implementation dashboard and national vulnerability and adaptation assessments in priority countries; these workstreams, in progress, provide the entry point for aligning the MCDE initiative with climate-informed surveillance.

Work to be performed

Required Qualifications

Output 1: Support to compile expert input from the members of the Regional Technical Advisory Group (RTAG) on MCDE for the full development and finalization of the MCDE framework.

Deliverable 1.1: Support the organization of a series of online meetings of the MCDE RTAG to discuss the full development of the MCDE framework and related EMRO document.

Deliverable 1.2: Provide technical review of the RTAG members’ input on the MCDE framework and propose how to integrate it

Output 2: Support the implementation of the MCDE Resolution

Deliverable 2.1: Develop a questionnaire and a desk review regarding the status of integration of the six shared health system functions that underpin the EMRO MCDE architecture, in the Region and in selected EMR countries.

Deliverable 2.2: Make a desk review about the existing formal cross-border collaborations within EMR and beyond, in particular in the context of communicable diseases prevention and control.

Deliverable 2.3: Summarize input from relevant partners and selected Member States on improvements needed on multisectoral and structured mechanisms for cross-border collaborations in the context of the MCDE initiative.

Deliverable 2.4: Make a rapid search of existing investment cases used in multi-disease elimination programmes, list them in an organized spreadsheet and make them available to the team in organized folders; contribute in collection of information and data to be used for the MCDE investment case which will be performed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and development, in collaboration with the CDP teams.

Output 3: Support to EMRO leadership and CDP technical teams for country support and dialogues on MCDE

Deliverable 3.1: Support the preparation and conduct of country dialogues to develop tailored MCDE plans and MCDE packages, including compiling information from mission reports and other sources, in collaboration with technical teams and WCOs.

Output 4: Provide technical input to launch and regularly update the MCDE regional portal/dashboard and to integrate climate and environmental indicators into national communicable disease surveillance systems

Deliverable 4.1: Liaise with IT to test the MCDE regional portal/dashboard before the launch and to incorporate any changes emerging from the testing

Deliverable 4.2: Collaborate with EMRO senior leadership and the technical teams to provide updated sets of validated data for the periodical update of the MCDE regional portal/dashboard..

Deliverable 4.3:  Compile, for the climate-sensitive diseases among the MCDE priority diseases (malaria, leishmaniasis and other vector-borne neglected tropical diseases), a minimum set of climate-sensitive indicators with data sources and alert thresholds, drawing on the CHE unit country guidance on integrating climate and disease surveillance developed under resolution EM/RC72/R.6, and propose how these indicators are reflected in the MCDE regional portal/dashboard.

Deliverable 4.4: Gather and compile country data on climate-informed surveillance progress from existing sources, in a format ready for the EM/RC72/R.6 implementation dashboard and provide written technical input on aligning the data with the MCDE regional portal/dashboard.

Deliverable 4.5: Participate with the CHE unit and the WHO country offices in the preparation of pilots for the integration of climate-epidemiological data into surveillance of MCDE priority diseases in one or two EMR countries, according to a pilot protocol.

Qualifications required:

Essential: First university degree in Public Health.

Desirable: Master’s degree in medicine. Specialization in public health or infectious diseases is desirable.

 

Experience:

Up to 5 years of experience working in the field of public health and infectious diseases, including implementation in low- and middle-income countries and integration of diseases programmes. Experience in indicators’ and dashboards’ development, data collection, and monitoring systems.

 

Skills/ Technical knowledge

Excellent project planning and coordination, expert English writing of documents, as well as knowledge about public health and/or infectious diseases interventions.

 

Language

-      Essential: English

-      Desirable: Arabic

 

Location:

EMRO, Cairo. On-site consultant

 

Medical clearance:

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

 

Travel

Travel might occur.

 

(If travel is involved, a medical certificate of fitness for work will be required.) All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance. Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

 

Additional Information section

·         This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

·         Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

·         Remuneration is in line with WHO consultant established rates

·         Successful candidates will be included in the roster for consideration for future contractual engagement via a consultancy, as they become available. Inclusion in the roster does not guarantee any future contractual relationship with WHO

·         A written test may be used as a form of screening.

·         If your candidature is retained for 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.

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·         Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.

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·         Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.

·         WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.

·         Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to apply on-line through Stellis. For assessment of your application, please ensure that:
 (a) Your profile on Stellis is properly completed and updated;
 (b) All required details regarding your qualifications, education and training are provided;
(c) Your experience records are entered with elaboration on tasks performed at the time.