Program Officer – Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) (Roster) - (2403614)

17 May 2024
Expression of interest

Objective of the programme 

WHO is the specialized agency of the United Nations with the objectives to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. The Communicable Diseases Surveillance (CDS) Unit of WHO seeks to address the pledge of leaving no one behind in the programmatic areas of communicable diseases and support the government to achieve the national health goals by providing needs-based technical assistance in policy formulation, setting norms and standards, knowledge dissemination, monitoring and building sustainable institutional capacity.

The WHO CDS unit plays a greater leadership role in different national technical forums as well as contribute to regional and global public health platforms in the area of communicable diseases such as HIV, Malaria, Tuberculosis, Neglected Tropical Diseases such as Kala-azar, Lymphatic Filariasis, Leprosy, Soil transmitted helminthiasis, Rabies, Snake bite envenoming, Dengue and Chikungunya, and Viral Hepatitis, Cholera, and other vector and food borne diseases. The unit also closely supports and leads prevention and response activities during outbreaks in the country.

The WHO CDS unit provides normative expertise to the Ministry of Health, Government of Bangladesh, especially in the realms of prevention, treatment, care through research, training, and epidemiological assessments, to strengthen national capacity. It assists the government to build innovative frameworks for public health action to address communicable diseases and achieve sustainable development goals. The CDS works closely the national communicable diseases programs and assists their effort to inform national decision-making during outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics.

The CDS unit works through a multi-sectoral approach collaborating with various ministries and departments, development partners, implementing partners, among others. The team collaborates with WHO teams at all levels such as health systems, NCDs, Maternal and Child Health Programs, WHE among others, to optimize efficiencies to reach their goals.

Bangladesh has made an impressive achievement during the last five years. The country has achieved the certification for elimination of lymphatic filariasis and Kala-azar as public health problems. The CDS team of WHO Bangladesh has been supporting all NTD programs to achieve the target related to NTD roadmap and SDG.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the guidance of the WHO Medical Officer-CDS and direct supervision of National Professional Officer-NTD the incumbent will have to perform the activities for National Programs and the WHO CDS unit, Bangladesh as described below:

1. Provide Technical guidance for:

  • Successful implementation of NTD control programs to achieve the SDG targets, particularly the National Leprosy Elimination Program.
  • Developing and updating technical documents such as policies, strategic plans, guidelines, training manuals, and monitoring & evaluation tools for NTD programs.
  • Promoting cost-effective and innovative approaches for NTD prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and facilitate the implementation of integrated approaches for NTD control, such as the integrated skin NTD approach.

2. Support Data Management and Surveillance:

  • Contribute to strengthening disease surveillance systems for NTDs, including electronic data management and case registration.
  • Monitor progress towards national and international targets (SDGs and NTD roadmap) for NTD control.
  • Support monitoring, supervision, and evaluation efforts at all levels:
  • Analyze program data and provide regular feedback to national programs for informed decision-making.
  • Provide onsite monitoring and feedback for strengthening program implementation at the community and service delivery levels.
  • Engage in program evaluations, assessments, studies to gather technical evidence to inform the national programs and develop technical publications for wider dissemination.
  • Assist in drafting progress reports, donor reports, and other program-related reports

3. Capacity Building and Collaboration:

  • Support training and capacity building initiatives for national NTD programs at all levels (district, divisional, and national), and other stakeholders as required.
  • Foster collaboration among various stakeholders, including public and private sectors, NGOs, CBOs, development partners, and faith-based organizations.

4. Advocacy and Communication:

  • Develop advocacy materials tailored to the socio-cultural context of target audiences and at-risk populations.

5. Additional Duties:

  • Perform other relevant tasks as assigned by the supervisors.

    Grade: No grade
    Duration of contract:  12 months (may be extended)
    Contract type: Special Services Agreement (SSA)
    Duty Station:  Bangladesh-Dhaka

    Link to apply: