The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members in the Technical Advisory Group on the development of the Strategy and Action plan on health emergency preparedness, response and resilience (Preparedness 2.0) in the WHO European Region.
This “Call for experts” provides information about the technical advisory group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.
Background
Strengthening resilience in the WHO European Region requires rethinking and re-establishing regional health emergency preparedness and response strategies based on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and other concurrent emergencies. In line with core priority 2 of the European Programme of Work, 2020–2025 (Protecting against health emergencies)1, targeted effort will be needed to address identified gaps throughout the four phases of the emergency cycle: prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.
Recent and concurrent emergencies have emphasized the importance of adopting a dual-track approach to public health emergencies and health crises. The dual-track modality to preparedness and response entails readiness and agility in the health system to provide essential health services while effectively responding to evolving emergencies. Strengthening health systems, with a focus on a flexible health workforce and new modes of service delivery through a primary health care approach, will be key to addressing challenges across all four phases of the emergency cycle.
As the end of the current five-year Action plan to improve public health preparedness and response in the WHO European Region 2018–20232 approaches, the WHO Regional Office for Europe is establishing a Technical Advisory Group in order to advise on a new regional strategy and action plan to strengthen health emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience in the WHO European Region 2024–2029.
This will be in line with key principles of the emerging global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response and resilience - including good governance, effective systems and financial sustainability, through an all-hazards and One Health approach.
Functions of the Technical Advisory Group on the development of the Strategy and Action plan on health emergency preparedness, response and resilience (Preparedness 2.0) in the WHO European Region
The primary purpose of the Technical Advisory Group will be to advise the WHO Regional Office for Europe on the development of the Strategy and Action plan, taking into account ongoing global processes and adapting these needs to the WHO European Region.
- Provide insight into lessons and recommendations from review processes and experience sharing of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent and ongoing health emergencies, within and beyond the WHO European Region, including incorporation of the 10 lessons from the pandemic outlined in the working document submitted to RC71, entitled, “Response to the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned to date from the WHO European Region”3 and the Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development recommendations4, which will include the operationalization of a Pan-European Network for Disease Control, among others;
- Advise on lessons learnt from the previous Action plan to improve public health preparedness and response in the WHO European Region 2018–20232 and its implementation as described in the midterm progress report5;
- Advise WHO on aligning developments at the global and regional levels, including the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) currently drafting the new Pandemic accord, the Working Group on amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (WGIHR), and the WHO Director General’s 10 proposals to build a safer world together Strengthening the Global Architecture for Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience (HEPR) and accompanying framework6.
Operations of the Technical Advisory Group on the development of the Strategy and Action plan on health emergency preparedness, response and resilience (Preparedness 2.0) in the WHO European Region
The TAG shall meet in person at least twice each year. However, WHO may convene additional meetings virtually. TAG meetings may be held in person (at the WHO Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen or another location, as determined by WHO). Additional meetings shall be conducted virtually, via video or teleconference.
The TAG may meet in open sessions, i.e. with observers, or in closed session with only members of the TAG. The TAG will be supported by a secretariat at the WHO Regional Office for Europe providing any necessary technical and other operational support to TAG members.
Who can express interest?
The Technical Advisory Group on the development of the Strategy and Action plan on health emergency preparedness, response and resilience (Preparedness 2.0) in the WHO European Region will be multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to emergency preparedness and response and health system resilience.
Approximately 12 may be selected.
WHO welcomes expressions of interest from individuals with wide knowledge of, and senior-level experience, in the following areas:
- Epidemiology and surveillance;
- Public health microbiology and laboratory systems;
- Animal health and zoonotic disease;
- Environmental health;
- Risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management;
- Clinical management;
- Infection prevention and control;
- Health systems and programme delivery;
- Medical countermeasures, procurement, stockpiling and logistics;
- Emergency medicine and access and use of controlled medicines in humanitarian settings;
- Public health emergency partnerships; and
- Public health programme monitoring and evaluation;
- Health, policy, economics and planning;
- Ethics, equity, human rights and gender in public health.
Submitting your expression of interest
To register your interest in being considered for the Technical Advisory Group on the development of the Strategy and Action plan on health emergency preparedness, response and resilience (Preparedness 2.0) in the WHO European Region, please submit the following documents by Wednesday 17 May, 23.59 (Geneva time) to eurocme@who.int using the subject line “Expression of interest for the Technical Advisory Group on the development of the Strategy and Action plan on health emergency preparedness, response and resilience (Preparedness 2.0) in the WHO European Region”:
- A cover letter, indicating your motivation to apply and how you satisfy the selection criteria. Please note that, if selected, membership will be in a personal capacity. Therefore, do not use the letterhead or other identification of your employer);
- Your curriculum vitae; and
- A signed and completed Declaration of Interests (DOI) form for WHO Experts, available at https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest.
After submission, your expression of interest will be reviewed by WHO. Due to an expected high volume of interest, only selected individuals will be informed.
Important information about the selection processes and conditions of appointment
Members of WHO Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest. To this end, applicants are required to complete the WHO Declaration of Interests for WHO Experts, and the selection as a member of a TAG is, amongst other things, dependent on WHO determining that there is no conflict of interest or that any identified conflicts could be appropriately managed (in addition to WHO’s evaluation of an applicant’s experience, expertise and motivation and other criteria).
All TAG members will serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments, any commercial industries or entities, any research, academic or civil society organizations, or any other bodies, entities, institutions or organizations. They are expected to fully comply with the Code of Conduct for WHO Experts (https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest). TAG members will be expected to sign and return a completed confidentiality undertaking prior to the beginning of the first meeting.
At any point during the selection process, telephone interviews may be scheduled between an applicant and the WHO Secretariat to enable WHO to ask questions relating to the applicant’s experience and expertise and/or to assess whether the applicant meets the criteria for membership in the relevant TAG.
The selection of members of the TAGs will be made by WHO in its sole discretion, taking into account the following (non-exclusive) criteria: relevant technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; communication skills; and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations. The selection of TAG members will also take account of the need for diverse perspectives from different regions, especially from low and middle-income countries, and for gender balance.
If selected by WHO, proposed members will be sent an invitation letter and a Memorandum of Agreement. Appointment as a member of a TAG will be subject to the proposed member returning to WHO the countersigned copy of these two documents.
WHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for WHO's action. WHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the TAG, disband an existing TAG or modify the work of the TAG.
WHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.
WHO may publish the names and a short biography of the selected individuals on the WHO internet.
TAG members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the TAG or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of TAG members to participate in TAG meetings will be covered by WHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules and procedures.
The appointment will be limited in time as indicated in the letter of appointment.
If you have any questions about this “Call for experts”, please write to eurocme@who.int well before the applicable deadline.
On 11 May 2023 the content of this article was updated to extend the deadline for applications until 17 May 2023.
On 13 April 2023 the content of this article was updated to extend the deadline for applications until 17 April 2023.
On 31 March 2023 the content of this article was updated to extend the deadline for applications until 10 April 2023.
On 20 March 2023 the content of this article was updated to extend the deadline for applications until 31 March 2023.