[Re-advertisement] Consultancy – Assessment of inclusion of migrants in existing disease surveillance systems – LACRO, Panama City (1.5 Months)

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, health

How can you make a difference? 

Background

The Latin America and Caribbean region hosts 4.6 million Venezuelan migrants (mostly in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Trinidad & Tobago), and is also home to about 16 million (TBC) migrants in Central America and Mexico. These migrants have varying degrees of access to primary health care services, depending on the country and on their documentation status. Several infectious diseases are endemic in the region, and outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases like measles and diphtheria have been reported in the past few years; although not necessarily linked to migration. UNICEF supports governments with the response to the migration flows with emphasis on children and their families. CDC and UNICEF do not have a comprehensive overview of the extent to which national disease surveillance systems in the destination or transition countries capture information about migrants.

To be able to prevent and address disease outbreaks, countries need to have strong surveillance systems. Migrant populations can be vulnerable to disease outbreaks since their immunization status might not be optimal, they might live in suboptimal situations (high density, low hygiene and suboptimal nutrition) and they might either not have access to (primary) health care services, or might be afraid of accessing such services for fear of being returned to their country of origin. For these reasons, information, including about disease outbreaks, might not be recorded in surveillance systems. It is important to understand the current situation and to strengthen it where needed, based on exchange of experiences and solutions-focused dialogues. The Panamerican Health Organization (PAHO) has studied the situation in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru (findings still being updated). Information about Central America is not yet documented.

Purpose of the Assignment

Under the supervision of the Regional Adviser, Survive & Thrive, and in close coordination with the participating Country Offices, assess the disease surveillance systems in three countries in Central America with a high number of migrants: Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama.
 
Specific Tasks

The consultant will be expected to prepare a report and Power Point presentation. The elaboration of these products will require the following activities:

1. Drafting of a methodology
2. Interviews with UNICEF Country Office staff in the participating countries (remotely or where possible in person)
3. Interviews with key informants in the participating countries (government officials and others as relevant), and at the regional level (CDC, PAHO, UNHCR and others as relevant) (remotely or where possible in person)
4. Visits to government institutions responsible for disease surveillance and related facilities (including laboratories)
5. Draft a report about the disease surveillance mechanisms in the participating countries, their strengths and weaknesses including the extent to which they cover non-nationals, including (documented and non-documented) migrants, with recommendations for improvement
6. Develop a Power Point presentation with the findings and deliver that in a virtual meeting.

Expected Results [measurable]

1. Report about the disease surveillance mechanisms in the participating countries
2. Power point presentation summarizing the contents of the report

Deliverables

Description	Duration [in working days]	Expected deadline
Report about the disease surveillance mechanisms in the participating countries	Not applicable (lump sum payment)	9 June (draft) 14 June (final)
Power point presentation summarizing the contents of the report	Not applicable (lump sum payment)	14 June

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications

• Education Postgraduate degree in Public Health, Medicine, or other relevant area.

Work Experience

• Experience in assessing disease surveillance systems, including laboratories
• Experience in doing interviews

Languages

• Fluency in Spanish; proficiency in English will be considered an asset.

Technical knowledge

• Strong knowledge of disease surveillance systems, preferably in the LAC region.
• Knowledge of the burden of infectious diseases in the LAC region.
• Knowledge of migrant health, and specifically for the LAC region and Central America sub-region.

Other skills and attributes

• Good planner.
• Demonstrated ability to work efficiently under deadlines.
• Good interpersonal skills and interview skills.

Administrative details

Supervision

The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Regional Adviser, Survive & Thrive.

Workplace

This is a home-based assignment

Duration

Estimated duration of 1.5 months, starting in May 2023.

Insurance

The selected contractor must demonstrate a proof of medical insurance prior to the beginning of the consultancy and must be valid for the entire duration of the contract. In duty stations where UNICEF provides medical evacuation, the medical insurance that the contractor holds should include provisions for medical evacuation.

How to Apply

Please complete online application including your resume, cover letter, and financial proposal based on specific tasks and deliverables mentioned above.

Travel

Duty travel is foreseen to Costa Rica, Guatemala and Panama.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

NOTE: Those who have already applied to this consultancy, do not need to resubmit their applications.

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UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.