Public Health Specialist

Mission and objectivesL’Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS) est l’institution spécialisée des Nations Unies pour la santé dans le monde. Constituée de 194 États Membres, elle agit partout sur la planète pour promouvoir le meilleur état de santé possible pour tout être humain, quels que soient sa race, sa religion, son genre, ses opinions politiques et sa situation économique ou sociale. La mission de l’OMS est de promouvoir la santé, de préserver la sécurité mondiale et de servir les populations vulnérables. L’accès à des soins de santé adaptés et économiquement abordables est un droit fondamental de la personne humaine et la couverture sanitaire universelle est un principe cardinal de l’action de l’OMS. D’ici à 2023, l’OMS a pour objectif d’atteindre les cibles du triple milliard :1 milliard de personnes supplémentaires bénéficiant de la couverture sanitaire universelle ; 1 milliard de personnes supplémentaires mieux protégées face aux situations d’urgence sanitaire ; et 1 milliard de personnes supplémentaires bénéficiant d’un meilleur état de santé et d’un plus grand bien-être. La moitié de la population mondiale au moins n’a pas accès aux services de santé essentiels et près de 100 millions de personnes sombrent chaque année dans la pauvreté en raison de leurs dépenses de santé directes. L’OMS réunit des experts internationaux de premier plan afin de produire des supports de référence sur les questions de santé mondiale et de formuler des recommandations pour améliorer la santé de tous. Les pierres d’assise de l’OMS sont l’Assemblée mondiale de la Santé, les États Membres et le Secrétariat.

ContextThe mission of the WHO Health Emergencies (WHE) program is to support Member States to prevent and prepare for disease outbreaks and other health emergencies, to detect, report and confirm outbreaks rapidly, and to strengthen and maintain their ability to respond to and recover from its negative effects. The UNV Public Health Specialist will support the WHE Program team in risk assessment, planning, and technical expertise as part of health emergency preparedness. About other Program activities, the Public Health Specialist will support the analysis of relevance, monitoring, and evaluation of WHO interventions and contribute to the implementation of emergency activities allowing to achieve WHO triple billion in line with GPW13. Founded in 1948, WHO is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable – so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health. WHO leads global efforts to expand universal health coverage. We direct and coordinate the world’s response to health emergencies. And we promote healthier lives – from pregnancy care through old age. Our Triple Billion targets outline an ambitious plan for the world to achieve good health for all using science-based policies and programmes. WHO’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 13) defines WHO’s strategy for the five years, 2019-2023. It focuses on triple billion targets to achieve measurable impacts on people’s health at the country level. The triple billion targets are to ensure that: - One billion more people are benefiting from universal health coverage - One billion more people are better protected from health emergencies - One billion more people are enjoying better health and well-being Madagascar is regularly exposed to public health emergencies, including epidemic outbreaks and natural disaster risks. Since 2014, the country has faced successive health emergencies, notably outbreaks of poliovirus, pneumonic plague, measles, COVID-19, malaria resurgence, drought, and other threats such as cholera and monkeypox. The recurrence of these health emergencies further weakens the national health system, while acute crises undermine hard-won health gains. Located in the Southwest Indian Ocean basin, Madagascar remains the African country most exposed to cyclones and climate-related hazards. Every year, the country is hit by intense cyclonic events and floods, which have caused serious health consequences such as loss of life, material damage and destruction of infrastructure, a resurgence of epidemic-prone diseases, and disruption of essential health services. Furthermore, the situation has been exacerbated by the effects of climate change, which have led to droughts and heavy rainfall, making weather conditions unpredictable and increasing the risk of new disasters. Despite ongoing efforts by the government and technical and financial partners, the combined impacts of cyclones, drought, diseases, and recurring health crises continue to weaken the national health system, jeopardizing public health achievements and exacerbating the vulnerability of the population. The mission of the WHO Health Emergency's Programme is to help countries, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies.

Task DescriptionUnder the general supervision of the WHO Representative Madagascar and the technical supervision of the WHE Team Lead and incident Manager in the Country Office, the incumbent(s) will be responsible for supporting the activities of preparedness, prevention, response and resilience in collaboration with the team in the following areas: WHO support for preparedness and response to cyclones and floods according to the results and objectives ; Institutional relations with the decentralized technical services of the Ministry of Public Health (Regional and District of Health, DRSP / SDSP) and the other ministerial departments, the decentralized territorial communities, the other partners, and the actors concerned directly or indirectly by health problems ; Contribution to the implementation of WHO interventions in line with the Health Sector Development Plan (PDSS), the Cyclone, flood and drought contingency plans, and regional priorities in high-risk areas across the country ; Support the Sub-office at the regional level in facilitating the coordination of actors working in the health field through existing platforms, especially for the health cluster and inter-cluster interventions ; Communication/Visibility of the actions of the WHO and its technical and financial partners ; Technical expertise in the preparedness, prevention, response, and resilience in the context of cyclones, floods, drought, and outbreaks: planning, implementation, management, and monitoring of the various interventions ; Logistics support and monitoring of case management activities depending on the field context ; Carry out all other tasks assigned by the supervisor during the mission.

Competencies and values• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management

Living conditions and remarksRoad travel: In Madagascar, one drives on the right lane, and the use of seatbelts is mandatory. Traffic accidents are frequent, and many roads suffer from a lack of maintenance. Local authorities occasionally set up roadblocks throughout the country. Travelers should always follow their instructions and carry personal photographic identification with them. Malaria: This is a serious and occasionally fatal disease, especially in coastal areas. Travelers can reduce the risk by using mosquito repellent cream or lotion. All incoming visitors should visit either their physician or a travel health clinic 4 to 8 weeks before departure to get the adequate advice and prophylaxis. Likewise, the seasonal outbreak of dengue does exist in the Malagasy territory and UN staff including incoming missions should exercise caution as above. Plague remains endemic in Madagascar, especially in the central highlands. A seasonal upsurge, predominantly of the bubonic form, typically occurs yearly between September and April. Any UN personnel residing in or traveling to Madagascar should continue to take precautions. The measles outbreak hurt social life last yearand further information would be available on WHO sites for advice or precautions. (https://unsmin.dss.un.org/TRIP/TRIPIntroduction/TRIPFileDownload?Data=vz3skxOBvHDmALaZR+MqMtbQ9Q9aipZq) End with an encouraging but cautioning statement such as “Madagascar is a unique country with a unique(humanitarian) operation. It provides an interesting and enriching environment but also requires amature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.