Consultant - Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnostics & Integrated Intervention Strategies - (2408899)

Contractual Arrangement: External consultant

Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 11 months

Job Posting: Dec 20, 2024, 2:18:22 PM

Closing Date: Jan 3, 2025, 11:59:00 PM

Primary Location: Anywhere

Organization: HQ/PTC Prevention, Treatment and Care

Schedule: Full-time

 IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings.

 Purpose of consultancy

To provide advice in developing technical tools and guidances to accelerate the work on NTD Diagnostics, Antimicrobial resistance and Integrated Intervention Strategies, towards the achievement of NTD Road Map 2021-2030

Background

The NTD road map 2021–2030 identifies diagnostics as critical gaps to reach the ambitious targets that the road map sets out. Accurate, reliable, and affordable diagnostic tools are an essential requirement for NTD programmes. Noting these gaps and based on the recommendation of the WHO NTD Strategic and Technical Advisory Group, the department established a Diagnostic Technical Advisory Group (DTAG) for NTDs in 2019. The main role of the DTAG is to review and prioritize diagnostic needs and use cases, support the development of target product profiles for prioritized needs, advise on test development, validation, and the development of strategies to enhance access. The road map also emphasizes the need for a stronger strategic engagement with partners, development of R&D needs, and reviewing and addressing missing tools and guidance.  

Due to the diversity and epidemiological complexity of NTDs, no single national programme has the full capacity or competence to provide complete laboratory diagnostics support to NTD programmes. In this sense it is critical to establish or strengthen NTD lab networks, taking stock of few existing NTD and other related infectious disease lab networks.

Another focus area is the validation of new diagnostic tests and facilitating the regulatory pathways as part of the end-to-end approach to address all the main access barriers. NTD diagnostics do not currently fall within the scope of WHO prequalification, however, ensuring the quality and performance of these tests is critical for NTD programmes in all endemic countries.

Deliverables

Deliverable 1: NTD Diagnostics and Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) 

● Ensure high quality communication within the DTAG, DTAG disease specific and cross cutting subgroups, the WHO Secretariat, and other stakeholders to align all parties to the overall NTD diagnostic development and access agenda.

● Organization of meetings of the DTAG and its subgroups including drafting of agendas and preparing meeting reports and recommendations.

● Facilitate meetings of the NTD diagnostics Resource Mobilization Group.

● Facilitate the development of publication of deliverables by the DTAG and its subgroups including Target Product Profiles, positions statements, manuscripts for journals.

● Contribute to the establishment of NTD laboratory capacity and network initiative including the development, maintenance and updating of NTD lab databases, quality assurance & control standards.

● Update the landscape analysis for NTD diagnostics including pipeline NTD diagnostics list and the NTD web page for diagnostics.

● Develop advocacy materials for NTD diagnostics and prevention of AMR including review of evidences and drafting of manuscripts.

Deliverable 2: Expert Review Panel for NTD diagnostics (ERPD for NTD),

●Identify the new diagnostics to be evaluated by ERPD and draft the invitation to manufacturers in collaboration with NTD programmes.

● Conduct the screening of submitted dossiers to ERPD, and liaise with ERPD coordinator.

● Contribute to the resubmission for the products under ERPD oversight.

● Maintain the list of ERPD recommended products.

● Facilitate organization of meetings/workshops/conferences with NTD IVD manufacturers.

Deliverable 3: Integrated interventions & new tools,

● Draft manuals, SoPs or any guidance documents to promote integrated NTD interventions.

● Review and draft documents on inter-unit and inter-departmental cross cutting initiatives, programmes.

● Prepare presentations, draft talking points, and advocacy materials on related areas.

Deliverable 4: R&D Blueprint,

● Prioritization of NTD diagnostic tests & contribute to the development R&D Blueprint on diagnostics and AMR.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications

Essential:

● Advanced university degree in Public Health, Medicine or Health sciences.

Experience

Essential:

● At least ten years’ experience with global health programmes and minimum 5 years’ experience working in NTDs and diagnostics area.

● Experience in diagnostics, evaluation of diagnostics, laboratory science.

Skills/Knowledge

Essential:

● Excellent technical competence in the control and elimination of NTDs, in-depth understanding of the NTD roadmap 2021-2030 and its strategic shifts.

● Strong communication skills to convey complex information to policymakers, partners, healthcare professionals, manufacturers and the public.

● Strong writing, motivational and organizational skills.

Desirable:

● Working knowledge of WHO functions, roles and responsibilities in the fight to control and eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases.

● Understanding of current WHO technical advisory groups on NTDs, knowledgeable of the donor landscape for NTDs.

● Languages and level required

Essential:

● Expert knowledge of English

Desirable:

● Intermediate knowledge of French or other UN languages

Location 

●Offsite: Home-based 

Travel 

● The consultant is not expected to travel.  

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded)

Remuneration

Band level C: USD 10,000 - USD 12,500 per month

Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited)

N/A

Expected duration of contract

11 months

CLICK TO APPLY