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Qualifications

Background

South Sudan is facing multiple, concurrent challenges, including climate change, economic crises, conflict, and insecurity. These issues are causing significant population displacement, disrupting livelihoods and markets, and hindering humanitarian access. Additionally, disease outbreaks have further weakened the community's coping capacity, leading to high levels of acute food insecurity, malnutrition, and overall poor health outcomes.

The malnutrition situation in the country is worsening, driven by various factors such as high disease rates among children aged 6 to 59 months, inadequate access to improved drinking water and sanitation, poor practices in Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), and increased acute food insecurity. Approximately 4.3 million children under the age of five, along with pregnant and breastfeeding women, urgently need lifesaving and preventive care. This includes 650,000 children at risk of severe acute malnutrition, 1.4 million at risk of moderate acute malnutrition, and 1.1 million mothers who require immediate treatment. Among the thousands of children affected by severe wasting, nearly 10% to 20% will develop life-threatening medical complications that necessitate quality care to prevent or reduce mortality rates.

 Objectives of the Programme

The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to mitigate the health impact of the nutrition crisis through integrated health and nutrition interventions, focusing on high-quality lifesaving services and reporting within stabilization centers located in areas experiencing acute food insecurity and malnutrition in South Sudan. WHO will collaborate with partners to enhance the availability of essential nutrition interventions for effective prevention, detection, and treatment of malnutrition.

Summary of Assigned Duties

Under the overall guidance of the WHO country representative and direct supervision of the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Team Lead and Health Operations Technical Expertise (HOTE), the incumbent will undertake the following tasks under the guidance of the nutrition focal point:

The incumbent will provide quality care to malnourished children in need of specialized support and treatment.

 He/ She will perform the following duties:

1.      Support the staff to conduct initial assessments and screenings of all children admitted to the nutrition stabilization center

2.      Organize the emergency area for treatment in the stabilization centers

3.      Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team including doctors, nutritionists, and social workers to ensure holistic care

4.      Implement individualized treatment plans and provide therapeutic feeding according to protocols and guidelines.

5.      Monitor and evaluate the nutritional status and progress of each child regularly.

6.      Maintain accurate and updated records of patient assessments, treatments, and outcomes

7.      Provide health education and counseling to caregivers on proper nutrition, hygiene, psychosocial support for caregivers and childcare practices

8.      Follow infection prevention and control measures to ensure a safe and clean environment

9.      Participate in training sessions, workshops, and capacity-building activities as required.

10.  Participate in clinical team meetings, and strategy meetings organized to improve patient care, taking a lead role as required

11.  Ensure monthly death audit to improve the quality of care is done and report shared 

Required Qualifications

Education

Required: Bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited university.

Work Experience

At least one year of progressively responsible experience in inpatient care for children with severe acute malnutrition and medical complications at stabilization centers.

Desirable: Demonstrated experience in conducting triaging and treatment of critical patients with SAM-MC at stabilization centers

Competencies:

§  Communicating in a credible and effective way

§  Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

§  Fostering Teamwork and integration

§  Producing results

§  Promoting WHO’s position in health leadership 

 Functional Knowledge and Skills:

§  Ability to work effectively with colleagues

• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.

  §  Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; Sound security awareness; Have affinity with or interest in core values of the World Health Organization

  §  Knowledge or sound understanding of the impact of acute malnutrition on a child’s health and survival, and the burden on populations.

  §  Excellent interpersonal communication, writing skills, discretion, tact and diplomacy.

   

  Language Skills

  Excellent knowledge of English and good knowledge of Arabic

   

  Additional Information (For HR use only):

  ·         This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
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