National Consultant

Job Title: #034 - National Consultant on development of a COVID-19 occupational health and safety guideline for healthcare workers

1. Background:

Acute respiratory infections caused by SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) are group A acute infectious diseases, capable of spreading rapidly between people. To date, the disease has not had specific therapeutic drugs. Some countries around the world and Viet Nam have started vaccinating against diseases, but the current number of vaccines is not enough to meet the needs, so prevention is very important.

In Viet Nam, the epidemic is complicated with many new variants such as those from the UK and India, high levels of infection, rapid spread in communities and in the workplace especially in healthfacility, health workers are facing many risks of COVID-19 infections from sick people and their families. In addition, health workers must directly contact patients and directly participate in the handling of infectious disease outbreaks, which make them are very susceptible to transmission of infectious diseases. During work, healthcare workers may be exposed to occupational hazards that put them at risk of disease, injury and even death in the context of the COVID-19 response. These occupational risks include (a) occupational infections with COVID-19; (b) skin disorders and heat stress from prolonged use of PPE; (c) exposures to toxins because of increased use of disinfectants; (d) psychological distress; (e) chronic fatigue; and (f) stigma, discrimination, physical and psychological violence and harassment.

Mitigating these hazards and protecting the health, safety and well-being of health workers requires well-coordinated and comprehensive measures for infection prevention and control, occupational health and safety, health workforce management and mental health and psychosocial support (4). Insufficient occupational health and safety measures can result in increased rates of work-related illness among health workers, high rates of absenteeism, reduced productivity and diminished quality of care.

While providing care to COVID-19 patients and delivering essential health services, health workers may be exposed to other infectious hazards, such as bloodborne pathogens and tuberculosis. Therefore, the prevention and control of occupational infections among health workers requires a comprehensive approach, bearing in mind the hierarchy of controls and close collaboration between occupational health services and IPC programmes.

In the current situation, the Ministry of health is planning to implement the “Occupational Health and Safety Mission (OSH) for health workers in the prevention and control of COVID-19” in 2021. Vietnam Health Environment Management Agency (VIHEMA) is responsible for development of OSH guidelines for health workers based on guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labor Organization (ILO). A national consultant is hired to support VIHEMA to achieve this purpose.

2. Planned Timelines: Part time for 5 months

Start date: 1 July 2021

End date: 1 December 2021

3. Work to be performed

Purpose of the consultancy

To develop a COVID-19 occupational health and safety guideline for healthcare workers based on guidance from the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization

Method(s) to carry out the activity

The consultant is expected to carry out the following tasks:

- Synthesizing foreign references to develop a draft covid-19 occupational health and safety guideline for healthcare workers.

- Developing a draft COVID-19 occupational health and safety guideline for healthcare workers including a set of assessment and intervention tools to prevent occupational safety and hygiene issues against COVID-19 for healthcare workers.

- Reviewing, synthesizing and completing the draft document after collecting comments from the drafting board members and the editorial team.

- Cooperating with VIHEMA to pilot implementation of the draft guideline on occupational safety and health against COVID-19 for health workers at Central Tropical Hospital.

- Coordinating with VIHEMA to organize a consultation workshop to collect comments on the drafted documents in Thua Thien Hue province and providing guidance to students.

- Finalizing the draft guideline on occupational safety and health against COVID-19 for health workers to send to VIHEMA for submission to the leaders of MoH for approval.

Output/s

Output 1: A guideline on COVID-19 occupational health and safety for healthcare workers to be developed

Deliverable 1.1: Summary of foreign reference on the COVID-19 occupational health and safety for healthcare workers (by 30 July 2021)

Deliverable 1.2: A draft guideline on COVID-19 occupational health and safety for healthcare workers (by 1 September 2021)

Output 2: The draft guideline on COVID-19 occupational health and safety for healthcare workers to be piloted in implementation and finalized for submission to get approval from MoH

Deliverable 2.1: Report on piloting implementation of the draft guideline (by 15 October 2021)

Deliverable 2.2: Summary and analysis of comments collected from a consultation workshop (by 15 November 2021)

Deliverable 2.3: Finalized guideline on COVID-19 Occupational Health and Safety for healthcare workers (by 1 December 2021)

4. Specific requirements

Qualifications required:

 A postgraduate degree in public health, environmental health, environmental science or other relevant areas from a recognized university

Experience required:

 Minimum 10 of years’ experience in in the field of worker health care, especially health care for healthcare workers.

 Experienced in developing guidelines, conducting research and investigations, implementing models to improve health and prevention of occupational diseases for health workers in healthcare facilities.

 Experienced in working with WHO, ILO and other International Organizations

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

 Research and analysis skills on occupational safety and health

 Communication skills

 Proficient in office information technology, MS Word, MS Excel.

Language requirements:

 Excellent in writing and speaking English.

 Fluent in Vietnamese as a mother tongue.

Competencies:

 Technical Expertise

 Producing Results

 Communication

5. Place of assignment

The contractor is expected to mainly work at his/her own places in Hanoi and travel to Thua Thien Hue for co-ordinating the consultation workshop.

6. Medical clearance

Not applicable

7. Travel

Field trip to Thua Thien Hue for co-ordinating the consultation workshop. Travel cost will be covered by DFC of VIHEMA.

8. Budget

Please take note of the following when submitting application:

- The contractor will be responsible for paying taxes, if any.

Those who are interested can submit your most updated CV and application letter indicating post title and vacancy notice # on/or before 25 June 2021 and should be addressed to:

Administrative Officer

World Health Organization

UN Building, 304 Kim Ma Street,

Hanoi, Viet Nam

wpvnmapplicants@who.int

For further information on this Call for Expression of Interest, please contact: wpvnmwr@who.int