AGREEMENT FOR PERFORMANCE OF WORK (APW) for the Division of Programmes for Disease Control - Ear and Hearing Care (EHC)

BACKGROUND

Hearing loss currently affects more than 1.5 billion people or 20% of the global population; of these, 430 million people or 5.5% of the global population experience moderate or higher levels of hearing loss. Most people with hearing loss live in low-income settings where human resources and services for ear and hearing care are not commonly accessible. Therefore, the vast majority of those in need do not have access to ear and hearing care despite the existence of cost-effective interventions.

To address this, in 2017 the World Health Assembly adopted resolution WHA70.13, which urges governments to integrate ear and hearing care (EHC) into their national health system framework and instructs WHO to provide the evidence and tools for them to do this.

In response to recommendation of the WHA resolution 70.13 on prevention of deafness and hearing loss and the recently launched World report on hearing, WHO is leading an initiative to assess the status of EHC services in countries of the Western Pacific region. Outputs from this initiative will be used as a basis for subsequent consultations within the region and will inform planning process for integrated people centred EHC services within countries across the region.

 

PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

The overall purpose of this APW is to assess the status of EHC in WHO Western Pacific Region. The specific objectives are:

• • to determine the burden of hearing loss and the status of EHC initiatives and stakeholders in the Western Pacific Region;
• • to assess available policies, services, and human resources related to EHC in countries across the region;
• • to determine the preparedness of the health care systems in country with reference to EHC, and identify areas requiring attention in countries across the region; and
• • to identify opportunities for integrating ear and hearing care across the continuum of care, at all levels of the health systems in countries across the region.

 

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

The WHO Ear and Hearing Care Situation Analysis Tool (EHCSAT) is a questionnaire-based assessment tool, designed to assess the status of ear and hearing care services in a country, inform planning and to monitor trends and progress towards integrated people centred EHC.

Primary implementing partners will be the three levels of offices of WHO, WHO Collaborating Centre(s) and Ministries of Health. Some activities may be carried out in collaboration with technical partners and academic institutions.

The company/institution/individual will be expected to perform the following:

• • Identification, collation, and analysis of publicly available evidence relating to hearing loss and EHC in the Western Pacific Region;
• • Conduct an in-depth situational analysis with reference to EHC in countries across the region, using EHCSAT. Specifically, the APW will be responsible for:
  • Liaison between the three levels of offices of WHO and WHO Collaborating Centre(s);
  • Liaison with key contacts in countries across the region and collection of data.
• • Preparation of two reports relating to the overall EHC situation in the region and findings from the in-depth situational analysis, respectively; and
• • Preparation and submission for peer-review and publication of at least one scientific paper presenting findings from this APW.

 

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY AND LIST OF OUTPUTS

The work will be done remotely with coordination with WPRO through email or teleconference.

PHASE 1

• • Extraction and analysis of data on hearing loss from the Global Burden of Disease (and other databases if available) in the Western Pacific Region
• • Review of published peer-reviewed literature on burden of ear conditions and hearing loss in the Western Pacific Region
• • Review of published and grey literature on EHC initiatives in the Western Pacific Region
• • In collaboration with WHO and WHO Collaborating Centres, mapping of EHC stakeholders and identification of key contacts for data collection in country
• • A brief report, which identify action priorities in the region and support the planning process for integrated people centred ear and hearing care services within countries. This will be used as a basis for subsequent consultations within the region.

Output 1: Delivery of a report on the status of EHC in the Western Pacific Region, including burden of hearing loss, relevant initiatives, and stakeholders.:

Deliverable 1.1: Global Burden of Disease data collated and analysed for trends in hearing loss, by subgroups of the population, for each country in the Western Pacific and across the region.

Deliverable 1.2: Review of the peer-reviewed literature relating to burden of hearing loss, other ear conditions, and EHC initiatives in the Western Pacific.

Deliverable 1.3: Review of the grey literature relating to EHC in the Western Pacific Region.

Deliverable 1.4: A list of key contacts in each country across the region who will support data collection suing the EHCSAT.

PHASE 2

• • Overall coordination and implementation of data collection using EHCSAT, in collaboration with key in country contacts
• • Compilation of EHCSAT data into a summary report for the region, which will give a regional overview of EHC services, policies, and health system preparedness. The report will aim to identify action priorities in the region and support the planning process for integrated people centred EHC services within countries. This will be used as a basis for subsequent consultations within the region.

Output 2: Delivery of a report presenting findings and recommendations from a situational analysis with reference to EHC in countries across the Western Pacific Region.

Deliverable 2.1: Coordination and regular follow up with key contacts for EHCSAT.

Deliverable 2.2: Collection of data using from countries across the region using EHCSAT, in collaboration with key contacts.

Deliverable 2.3: Coordination and regular follow up with relevant WHO Collaborating Centre for technical support and data entry.

Deliverable 2.4: EHCSAT data compiled and analysed, and priorities identified for delivery of integrated people centred EHC care services within countries.

Output 3: At least one paper submitted for peer-review and publication in a scientific journal.

Deliverable 3.1: Required approval from WHO Ethics Review Committee obtained.

Deliverable 3.2: Paper drafted and submitted to co-authors for review and approval.

 

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

• • The contractual partner should include individuals with Masters' degree or higher from a recognised university (may include medical, social science, public health, epidemiology degrees).
• • Formal training in ear and hearing care (or related filed) strongly preferred.

EXPERIENCE

• • Minimum of seven years’ work experience in public health at national and international level.
• • Experience working in the area of ear and hearing care policy and programmes strongly preferred.
• • Working knowledge of one or more countries in the Western Pacific Region would be an advantage.

SKILLS/TECHNICAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• • Data collection, compilation, and visualization skills
• • Communications and interview skills
• • Writing skills

LANGUAGES

• • Expert level of English is essential (Read-Write-Speak).
• • As this APW will involve liaising with and collection of data from countries across the region, potential contractual partners with the ability to communicate in other relevant languages (e.g., Mandarin, Vietnamese, French, Japanese, etc.) would be at a great advantage.

COMPETENCIES

• • Technical Expertise
• • Communication
• • Respecting and Promoting Individual and Cultural Differences
• • Moving Forward in a Changing Environment
• • Producing Results

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Contract duration

• Start date: 15 November 2021 – 15 March 2022
• Duration of contract: 4 months

Place of assignment

The contractual partner will be working remotely to perform the tasks related to this APW but will require interaction with the Technical Unit (MND) and stakeholders from across the Western Pacific Region on the development of the deliverables.

Medical clearance

The contractual partner will not be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

Travel

The contractual partner is not expected to travel

The contractual partner is not expected to travel to fulfil the deliverables listed above. The use of remote working tools and services is encouraged.
 

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV {for individual contractors} or Company Profile {for institutional applications} and cover letter with cost proposal and timelines to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 29 October 2021 (1700 GMT+8)

The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include a proposal indicating cost (in USD) and timelines.

Please use Tender Notice No. 148161 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.