Mission and objectives
Founded in 1948, the World Health Organization is the directing and coordinating authority for international health within the United Nations system. WHO’s objective is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. WHO works with Member States and partners to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable by setting norms and standards, providing evidence-based technical support, strengthening national capacities, coordinating health action and monitoring health trends. In Tajikistan, the WHO Country Office works with the Government, particularly the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population, United Nations agencies, development partners and civil society to advance universal health coverage; strengthen primary health care and public health systems; prevent and control communicable and noncommunicable diseases; improve immunization and maternal and child health; and strengthen preparedness and response to health emergencies.
Context
WHO Tajikistan supports the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of the Population and other national partners to strengthen prevention, early detection and response to public health threats. This includes integrated disease and event-based surveillance, laboratory and epidemiological capacity, priority-pathogen monitoring, immunization and vaccine-preventable disease control, risk assessment, preparedness planning and emergency response. Timely, complete and high-quality information is essential for early warning and evidence-informed public health action. Additional time-bound support is needed to consolidate, quality-check, analyse and present epidemiological, laboratory, immunization and other relevant information; develop practical surveillance procedures and tools; and translate findings into technical products and recommendations. The assignment will also support stronger linkages between routine immunization, vaccine-preventable disease surveillance, laboratory data and preparedness functions so that immunity gaps and outbreak risks can be identified and addressed promptly. The UN Volunteer will work with WHO Health Security, Communicable Diseases and Immunization teams, national counterparts, laboratories, subnational public health services and development partners. The role is designed as an analytical, documentation and capacity-development support function that complements established programme leadership and existing staff responsibilities. Under formal international supervision and day-to-day technical guidance from designated WHO focal points, the volunteer will contribute to public health intelligence, preparedness and sustainable strengthening of national surveillance capacities.
Task Description
Under the direct supervision of the WHO Representative in Tajikistan, or another designated international staff member based in Dushanbe, and with day-to-day technical guidance from designated focal points in the WHO Health Security, Communicable Diseases and Immunization teams, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks as a complementary technical support resource: 1. Priority pathogens surveillance analysis and public health intelligence • Support the collection, consolidation, cleaning, validation, analysis and visualization of epidemiological, laboratory, event-based, immunization and other relevant data on priority pathogens, vaccine-preventable diseases and emerging public health threats. • Assess the completeness, timeliness, consistency and quality of surveillance information; identify reporting gaps and bottlenecks; and support practical corrective actions in consultation with responsible WHO technical officers and national counterparts. • Analyse disease trends, geographic distribution, affected and at-risk populations, immunity gaps and unusual signals, and translate findings into concise recommendations for public health action. • Prepare and regularly update dashboards, maps, indicator trackers, epidemiological summaries, situation updates, quarterly analytical reports, briefing notes, presentations and other information products for review and use by decision-makers and partners. • Support the development and review of surveillance indicators, case definitions, data flows, reporting formats, metadata and analytical methods in line with national requirements and relevant WHO guidance. • Contribute analytical inputs to rapid risk assessments, situation analyses and evidence packages used to guide preparedness, prioritization and response. 2. Preparedness, risk assessment and response support • Contribute technical inputs to the development, review and monitoring of disease-specific and all-hazards preparedness and response plans, operational protocols and health security workplans, including activities linked to International Health Regulations capacities. • Support outbreak investigations, event verification, field assessments and response monitoring, including data analysis, documentation and preparation of draft technical recommendations for review by the responsible teams. • Support the planning, implementation and documentation of simulation exercises, after-action reviews, intra-action reviews and other learning activities designed to strengthen readiness and response performance. • Monitor agreed surveillance, preparedness and response indicators and action trackers, and prepare concise analyses of progress, risks, operational gaps and recommended follow-up actions. • Support timely information exchange, technical meeting preparation and follow-up among WHO, national authorities, laboratories, health facilities, subnational teams and multisectoral partners, as relevant. 3. Immunization and vaccine-preventable disease risk analysis • Support integrated analysis of routine immunization coverage, dropout, zero-dose and under-immunized indicators together with vaccine-preventable disease and laboratory surveillance data to identify immunity gaps and geographic areas at increased outbreak risk. • Contribute epidemiological analysis and evidence for risk assessment and preparedness or response planning for measles, rubella, poliomyelitis and other priority vaccine-preventable diseases, in coordination with responsible immunization, surveillance and laboratory officers. • Support monitoring, analytical review and documentation of vaccination campaigns, outbreak response immunization, vaccine introductions and service-continuity measures from a disease-control and health-security perspective. • Support stronger operational linkages among routine immunization, vaccine-preventable disease surveillance, laboratories, primary health care services and emergency preparedness and response functions. 4. Technical standards, capacity development and documentation • Draft, review or update standard operating procedures, operational guidelines, surveillance tools, reporting templates and technical job aids in consultation with responsible WHO technical officers and national counterparts. • Develop training materials and support training, mentoring, knowledge-sharing and supportive-supervision activities for national and subnational surveillance, laboratory, immunization and public health teams. • Participate in technical meetings, field missions and partner consultations, and support preparation of agendas, presentations, meeting records, action trackers and follow-up documentation. • Document lessons learned, good practices and innovations, and organize approved technical products to support programme improvement, institutional learning and sustainability. • Undertake other related analytical, documentation and capacity-development tasks agreed in the assignment workplan, without assuming programme-management, supervisory, fiduciary or delegated approval responsibilities. Indicative results / expected outputs • An approved inception report and annual workplan with clear objectives, outputs, indicators, milestones and agreed technical reporting lines. • Four quarterly analytical reports on priority pathogens, surveillance performance and preparedness risks, with practical recommendations reviewed by the responsible technical teams. • Regularly updated surveillance dashboards, maps, indicator trackers and briefing products for programme and management decision-making. • At least two priority surveillance or preparedness standard operating procedures, operational guidelines, analytical frameworks or reporting tools developed or substantively updated in consultation with national counterparts. • An integrated immunization and vaccine-preventable disease risk analysis identifying priority immunity, surveillance and preparedness gaps and recommended actions. • A practical training package and documented support to capacity-building, mentoring, knowledge-sharing or supportive-supervision activities for relevant national and subnational teams. • Documented analytical or technical contribution to at least one risk assessment, preparedness exercise, outbreak investigation, response review or vaccine-preventable disease readiness activity. • A final achievements and lessons-learned report, with recommendations for sustainability and an organized archive of approved technical products and tools. During the first month of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will work closely with their direct supervisor to finalize an agreed-upon workplan. The workplan should outline key objectives, activities, outputs and indicators, and include regular check-ins with the supervisor to review progress and receive performance feedback.
Competencies and values
Accountability Adaptability and Flexibility Commitment and Motivation Commitment to Continuous Learning Communication Integrity Judgement and Decision-making Knowledge Sharing Planning and Organizing Professionalism Respect for Diversity Technological Awareness Working in Teams
Living conditions and remarks
Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, is a family duty station with access to furnished housing, supermarkets, restaurants, banking, mobile and internet services. Basic and private medical services are available, although specialized care may be limited. Summers are hot and generally dry and winters are cool; conditions vary considerably in mountainous areas. Tajik is the official language and Russian is widely used in professional and everyday settings. Normal United Nations security precautions and cultural awareness apply. Field travel may involve long road journeys and more basic conditions. The assignment offers a culturally rich opportunity to contribute to priority-pathogen surveillance, preparedness and public health in Central Asia. Conditions of Service The Conditions of Service, available here: https://explore.unv.org/cos, outline the policies and rules governing UN Volunteer assignments. Full information on entitlements at the duty station can be accessed here: https://app.unv.org/calculator.
Kyiv (Ukraine)