Full-Time (SSA) TECHNICAL OFFICER FOR SAFE AND AFFORDABLE SURGERY (SAS) AND EARLY ESSENTIAL NEWBORN INFANT CARE (EENC).
Job Description
WHO is inviting applications for SPECIAL SERVICES AGREEMENT (SSA)
Technical Officer for Safe and Affordable Surgery (SAS) and Early Essential Newborn Infant Care (EENC).
The World Health Organization (WHO) as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations system has been providing technical support to the national diseases surveillance system of the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Vanuatu.
The WHO Country Office is recruiting experienced professionals under Special Service Agreement to provide support to the SAS, EENC & KMC Unit at Vila Central Hospital (VCH), Port Vila, Shefa province.
Background & Terms of Reference
Safe and Affordable Surgery (SAS)
Vanuatu is committed to strengthening surgical care in line with the Action Framework for Safe and Affordable Surgery in the Western Pacific Region (2021–2030), adopted by Member States at the seventy-first session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in 2020. Vanuatu was one of the initial countries to begin implementing this Region Action Framework in 2022. Vanuatu now has a national action plan for strengthening surgical, anaesthesia and obstetric care. Improving sterilization services is a core cross-cutting component of surgical safety work in Vanuatu aimed at reducing healthcare associated infections. Other aspects include review of clinical protocols – pre-op, intra-op, post-op, theatre management, screening and early recognition. The plan also emphasises stakeholder consultations, audit and clinical quality improvement approaches to improve sterilization and other aspects of surgical care.
Maternal and Newborn Care
The Action Plan for Healthy Newborn Infants in Western Pacific is aligned with the directions outlined in the Global Every Newborn Action Plan to end preventable deaths. The strategic focus of the Regional Action Plan is to improve quality early essential newborn infant care (EENC) and to improve access to quality skilled birth and newborn infant care. Even without access to expensive technologies, most newborn infants’ lives can be saved with simple, low-cost interventions and health care focused on birth and the first three days of life, with particular emphasis on intrapartum period and first 24 hours after birth.
In 2019, Vanuatu became one of nine priority countries in the region which has been implementing the EENC interventions. The country is a signatory to the WHO Regional Action Plan for Healthy Newborn Infants and is committed to taking actions. Implementation and systems improvements for EENC (using EENC coaching and health the facility strengthening approach) are underway in the country emphasis on scaling up EENC and Kangaroo Mother care (KMC). This year would be an important milestone for monitoring EENC implementation and upgrading the quality of EENC interventions through joining the Member States’ fourth meeting to discuss the progress of the implementation for attributing quality of care for mothers and newborns.
Description of duties
Under the supervision of Dr. Margaret Tarare/VCH for SAS and Dr. Annette Garae/VCH and MoH RMNCAH coordinator/DPH for EENC/KMC and technical officer from WHO CLO office, the incumbent is assigned to the following responsibilities to support the safe and affordable surgery (SAS) activities in line with the national plan, especially for improving sterilization in health facilities and to support implementation of EENC and KMC for preterm and low birth weight infants;
- Support capacity building in scaling up SAS, EENC and KMC by coordinating coaching and mentoring activities
- Provide technical support in monitoring and reviewing implementation
- Support the development and use of tools to measure the quality and safety of maternal and newborn health service delivery and surgical safety
- Support in the development and execution of advocacy and communication activities
- Reviewing clinical SOPs at hospitals, conduct clinical care audits.
- Support health systems improvements by engaging facility staff in improvement
approaches - Perform other tasks related to surgical care and maternal and newborn health as requested by the supervisor.
1. Specific requirements
Qualifications required:
- University degree in medicine, nursing, public health or health management related field
Qualification desired:
- Training in midwifery, obstetric care or surgery
- Masters degree in public health or health management
Experience required:
- Minimum of 3 years of working experience in public health, obstetric or midwifery care, maternal, newborn health or surgical care. This can be a combination of clinical or public health experience.
Experience desired:
- Experience in conducting surveys, assessments and applying M&E tools
- Experience in supporting health facilities in improving maternal, newborn, surgical or other clinical areas. Using approaches such as audit or QI.
Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:
- Ability to carry out stakeholder consultations – with ministry counterparts, health facility staff, other partners.
- Able to manage budgets and operational plans
- Willingness to learn new areas of work on the job
- Ability to provide support to facility staff in an encouraging and positive manner (coaching approach)
Language requirements:
- Excellent spoken/written English
2. Competencies
- Technical expertise
- Overall attitude at work
- Ability to work harmoniously as part of a team
- Producing results
- Sensitivity to working in diverse cultures
3. Salary
The total remuneration cost per annum VUV 2,202,300 on the condition that the performance is satisfactory)
4. Medical clearance
The selected SSA will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.
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