Malaria Control Personnel

Job Posting Organization:
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Established on April 7, 1948, WHO's mission is to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve vulnerable populations. With over 7,000 employees in more than 150 countries, WHO operates in various regions to address global health challenges, including infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and health systems strengthening. WHO aims to achieve universal health coverage and ensure that all people can access essential health services without financial hardship.

Job Overview:
The Malaria Control Personnel position is critical in addressing the high burden of malaria in Sanma Province, Vanuatu. This role involves deploying trained personnel to selected Area Councils to enhance malaria case notification, investigation, and response. The personnel will also support vector control activities, including the distribution of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) and health education in high-risk areas. The position requires a proactive approach to community engagement and collaboration with local leaders to promote prevention behaviors and facilitate early detection and treatment of malaria. The personnel will be responsible for collecting and verifying malaria case data, conducting case investigations, and monitoring the availability of malaria commodities to prevent stockouts. This role is essential for strengthening the malaria elimination program in the province and ensuring timely and effective responses to malaria cases.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Malaria Line Lists: Collect, verify, and compile complete malaria case data from assigned health facilities in a timely and accurate manner to support routine surveillance and reporting. Deliverable: Malaria Line Lists compiled, quality checked, and submitted to the Provincial Malaria Information Office by the agreed deadline for DHIS2 entry.
• Case Investigation and Classification: Conduct comprehensive case investigations for all confirmed malaria cases to determine the origin of infection, transmission risk, and appropriate response actions. Deliverable: Completed case investigation and classification reports for 100% of confirmed malaria cases, including immediate notification and documentation of all imported cases.
• 1-7-14 Follow-Up Monitoring: Support timely case detection and reporting, case investigation, and foci investigation and response within 1, 7, 14 days, respectively. Deliverable: Documented 1-7-14 days follow-up records for all eligible cases.
• Stock Monitoring of Malaria Commodities: Monitor availability and consumption of malaria diagnostic and treatment commodities across assigned health facility catchments to prevent stockouts and inform resupply. Deliverable: Monthly stock monitoring report covering ACTs, Primaquine, RDTs, and G6PD test kits/strips for all assigned facilities, submitted with flagging of shortages or risks.
• Participation in Malaria Elimination Activities: Actively support and participate in planned malaria elimination interventions at community and facility levels to strengthen program implementation. Deliverable: Participation report documenting involvement in LLIN distributions, supervisory visits, trainings, and other malaria elimination activities.
• Community Engagement and Awareness: Engage communities and local leaders to raise awareness, promote prevention behaviors, and support early detection and treatment of malaria. Deliverable: Community engagement summary outlining awareness sessions conducted, meetings held with community leaders, populations reached, and key prevention and elimination messages delivered.
• Monthly Activity Reporting: Consolidate surveillance, investigation, response, and community engagement data into a coherent summary to inform program monitoring and decision-making. Deliverable: Monthly activity report submitted to the Malaria Information Officer, summarizing case numbers, investigation outcomes, case classifications, follow-up status, response actions, and key challenges.

Required Qualifications:
Essential qualifications include completion of secondary school or a technical diploma/training in malaria control activities, communicable diseases, public health, or other relevant health-related fields. Desirable qualifications include a university degree in public health, epidemiology, medical entomology or parasitology, biostatistics, or other relevant health-related fields. Candidates should possess strong risk communication and community engagement skills, proficiency in report writing, and computer skills (Microsoft Word, Excel, and information management, including database entry and information retrieval). Good knowledge of the community where the SSA will be posted will be an advantage. Knowledge of WHO mandate and goals or experience in UN Organizations, international institutions, or NGOs is considered an asset.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes essential completion of secondary school or a technical diploma/training in malaria control activities, communicable diseases, public health, or other relevant health-related fields. A desirable educational background would include a university degree in public health, epidemiology, medical entomology or parasitology, biostatistics, or other relevant health-related fields, which would enhance the candidate's understanding and capability in addressing malaria control efforts.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 1 to 2 years of relevant work experience in vector-borne diseases control. Desirable experience includes working in health-related fields, as well as in project or program work plan design and implementation at the national level in governmental or international organizations. This experience is crucial for understanding the complexities of malaria control and the operational challenges faced in the field.

Languages:
Fluency in English and Bislama is essential for this position. Proficiency in these languages is necessary for effective communication with local communities, stakeholders, and health facility personnel. Additional language skills may be considered an asset but are not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The position is based in Sanma Province, Vanuatu, and the SSA is expected to travel within the area council of posting to fulfill their roles and responsibilities, as well as to other parts of the province as required. The salary for this role will start from Band D, T1.1: VUV 730,000 to VUV 1,521,000, based on qualifications and experience. The duration of the contract is 12 months initially, with the potential for extension. This role is subject to local recruitment and will be filled by Vanuatu nationals recruited in the local commuting area of the duty station. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted, and a written test/interview may be used as a form of screening. Candidates will be required to provide scanned copies of their degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) in advance if retained for an interview. WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco. The SSA shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity and not as representatives of any entity or authority. WHO shall have no responsibility for any taxes, duties, social security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security contributions, or other contributions payable by the SSA.