Health Officer

Mission and objectivesUNICEF is responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. UNICEF Health program is designed to support national health priorities with focus on programs that will positively impact on the lives of the most disadvantaged children, such as the prevention and treatment of diseases through establishing community-level efforts and services to promote the health and well-being of children. In line with this strategy, UNICEF supports immunization and health prevention programs for childhood diseases and funding for sustainable health services. UNICEF programs have been guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), which affirms the right of all children to “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.” UNICEF is committed to realizing the rights of all children to help them build a strong foundation and have the best chance of fulfilling their potential. We believe that ensuring a happy and healthy child begins before birth: from ensuring his/her mother has access to good neonatal care and delivering in a clean, safe environment to reaching adulthood as a responsible, healthy and informed parent to the next generation. This journey relies on a child having access to shelter, good nutrition, clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education.

ContextThe fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, nutrition, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations. UNICEF’s Nigeria Country Office (NCO) works with the Government of Nigeria and other stakeholders to strengthen the country’s health product supply chain, promote local manufacturing of health consumables and increase technical capacity of government partners. The UNV will support these streams work by working with the NCO health team, other NCO teams, technical partners and the Government.

Task DescriptionUnder the direct supervision of the Health Manager HSS, the UNV will: • Support the initiative on local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals in Nigeria. • Support on communication and reporting with the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation and the European Union. • Support on the expansion of regional collaboration on open markets for health commodities, knowledge sharing, and technology transfer. • Support on activities related to capacity building of government partners. • Support on conducting assessments regarding opportunities for investment and the prevalence of counterfeit pharmaceuticals in Nigeria. • Closely work with health, nutrition, and supply division on the local manufacturing agenda.

Competencies and valuesI. Core Values • Care • Respect • Integrity • Trust • Accountability • Sustainability II. Core Competencies • Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness • Works Collaboratively with others • Builds and Maintains Partnerships • Innovates and Embraces Change • Thinks and Acts Strategically • Drive to achieve impactful results • Manages ambiguity and complexity III. Functional Competencies • Analysing • Learning and Researching • Planning and organizing • Following Instructions and Procedures

Living conditions and remarksNigeria (fondly called ‘Naija’ by its people), is Africa’s most populated country and has a rich cultural and ethnic diversity. It is situated between the Republic of Benin to the West, Cameroon and Chad to the East, Niger to the North and the Gulf of Guinea to the South. Nigeria has a population of about 250 Million, with about 250 cultural groupings, each having an ethnic affiliation that is identifiable by a common language. However, English is Nigeria's official language and it is the medium of instruction at all levels of education except in some lower primary and nursery schools. The capital of Nigeria was moved to Abuja when it became obvious that population pressures, political and ethnic divisions necessitated a move from Lagos. Nigeria is politically divided into six geo-political zones, North West, North East, North Central, South West, South East, and South South. Administratively the country is divided into 36 states and a Federal Capital territory (Abuja). Visitors to the South are unlikely to meet many young people with whom they cannot communicate in English, but in the Northern part of the country, English is less widely spoken. Pidgin, often known as Broken English, though informal is widely used as a form of communication.