Medical Officer (Multi-Drug Resistence TB)

Duty Station: Cairo, Egypt Organization unit: EMRO Eastern Mediterranian Regional Office (EM/RGO) / EM/DCD Division of Communicable Disease Control (EM/DCD) Stop Tuberculosis (STB)
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME : To support the countries of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, to strengthen and scale up multidrug resistant tuberculosis care along with the regional strategic plan for prevention and control of multidrug resistance and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. The overall objective of Tuberculosis (TB) Control is to reduce mortality, morbidity and transmission of the disease untill it no longer poses a threat to public health. To achieve the objective, the Stop TB Unit of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, promotes the introduction of the Stop TB strategy in the general health services in the countries of the Region. The support aims at developing sustainable and effective TB care based on the strategy in the countries. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB is an alarming threat to public health because they are difficult to treat with the currently available TB drugs. Around 23,000 people are estimated to develop MDR-TB every year in the Region and only 5% of them are under the appropriate treatment. In the Region, Pakistan has the largest MDR-TB patients (around 13,000 patients a year) and the 6th highest burden in the world. WHO has realized the importance of MDR-TB care and has developed a regional strategy to ensure the universal access to MDR-TB care by 2015.
Description of duties: The Medical Officer will work under the direct supervision of the Coordinator, TB, AIDS and Malaria of the Division of Communicable Diseases, EMRO, and also under general guidance of the Director of Communicable Disease Control, EMRO. The Medical Officer will assist countries of the Region to improve and scale up programmatic management of MDR-TB care. She/He will follow the WHO guidelines on MDR-TB care and the Stop TB strategy and will provide technical assistance based on the guidelines and in consultation with her/his supervisors. The Medical Officer will work closely with other staff members of the Stop TB unit. The Medical Officer will also work in very close collaboration and coordination with the global partners including the Green Light Committee of the WHO Headquarters. Under the supervision of the Coordinator, TB, AIDS and Malaria, and the overall guidance of the Director, Communicable Disease Control, EMRO, the Medical Officer will carry out the following duties: Provide technical and strategic advice to the countries of the Region for the initiation and scale up of MDR-TB care along with the Regional strategy on MDR-TB care. This will include assessment missions to countries for situation analysis, technical advice for the development of MDR project, planning for GLC applications for the procurement of second line drugs and participation in MDR review missions. Strengthen collaboration with the relevant partners particularly WHO Green-Light Committee, GDF and GFATM for the scale up of MDR-TB care. Follow up the Implementation of the Regional strategy for MDR-TB care (2010-2015) as a response to the Regional Committee Resolution (EM/RC56/10: "A regional response to the emerging threats of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant TB"). Monitor and evaluate the progress and challenges in the countries of the Region about the scaling up of MDR-TB care, and make necessary advice to the WHO Regional and Country offices and NTPs. Develop Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) and training modules on MDR-TB care and assist their implementation in the region and countries in collaboration with the NTP and national and international partners. Provide technical and strategic advice in the development of MDR -TB Center of Excellence in the region. This will include close coordination and collaboration between the Regional office, NTP program(s), WHO Headquarter including GLC, national and international partners and experts.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Essential: University degree in medicine and Masters degree in public health or relevant areas. Desirable: Training on management on multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.
Skills: Competencies 1) Ensuring the effective use of resources 2) Producing results 3) Fostering integration and teamwork 4) Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond 5) Communicating in a credible and effective way Functional Skills and Knowledge (Describe skills and knowledge specific to the post): Good knowledge on care of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis including its programmatic management. Ability to assess drug management activities, including planning, coordinating and monitoring such activities. Ability to advise and implement activities in collaboration with national counterparts of the Ministries of Health and other partners. Ability to process and analyze data. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with international and national staff at all levels.
Experience: Experience: Essential: At least 7 years experience combined at national and international level in public health management including tuberculosis care management. Desirable: Experience on programmatic management of multi-drug resistant tuberculoOther Skills (e.g. IT): Computer literacy: word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software. Knowledge on the use of data analysis software.sis.
Languages: Languages: Excellent knowledge of English. Working knowledge of Arabic and/or French are an asset.
Additional Information: - Applicants are kindly requested to pay attention to the screening questions as they will be used to screen out unqualified candidates. - Only qualified applicants with the relevant experience will be considered. - A written test/presentation and interviews will be used as a form of screening. The written test might be used as an eliminatory tool. - Other similar positions at the same level may be filled from this vacancy notice (this could be the base for rosters) - Candidates will be interviewed using a competency based approach".
Annual salary: (Net of tax) US$66,482 at single rate US$71393 with primary dependants	Post Adjustment: 36.7 % of the above figure(s). This percentage is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.
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