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Global Health Fellows Program
Technical Advisor II: Emerging Pandemic Threats Country Coordinator
US Agency for International Development / Uganda
Location: Entebbe, Uganda
Assignment: Two year fellowship
GHFP-10-206
The Global Health Fellows Program (GHFP) is a five year cooperative agreement implemented and managed by the Public Health Institute (PHI) in partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health, Management Systems International, and Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. GHFP is supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The goal of GHFP is to improve the effectiveness of USAID Population, Health and Nutrition programs by developing and increasing capacity of health professionals in Washington, DC and overseas. This is accomplished through the recruitment, placement and support of junior, mid and senior level health
professionals; a diversity initiative focused on providing internship and mentoring opportunities in international public health to underrepresented communities; and professional and organizational development activities to bolster USAID’s ability to maximize results and strengthen its leadership role in global health.
BACKGROUND
Nearly 75 percent of all new, emerging, or reemerging diseases affecting humans at the beginning of the 21st century have originated in animals. Notable reminders of how vulnerable the increasingly interconnected world is to the global impact of new emergent diseases include HIV/AIDS, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), H5N1 avian influenza, and the pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The speed with which these diseases can emerge and spread presents serious public health, economic, and development concerns. It also underscores the need for the development of comprehensive disease
detection and response capacities, particularly in those geographic areas where disease threats are likely to emerge. Recognizing this need, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched an Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) program that seeks to aggressively preempt or combat diseases that could spark future pandemics.
Strategic Approach
The EPT program emphasizes early identification of and response to dangerous pathogens in animals before they can become significant threats to human health. Using a risk-based approach, the EPT program builds on USAID’s successes in disease surveillance, training, and outbreak response to focus on geographic areas where these threats are most likely to emerge. These efforts are critical to the sustainability of long-term pandemic prevention and preparedness. They will help develop better predictive models for identification of future viral and other biological threats.
The EPT program draws on expertise from across the animal- and human-health sectors to build regional, national, and local capacities for early disease detection, laboratory-based disease diagnosis, rapid disease response and containment, and risk reduction. These efforts target a limited number of geographic areas, known as “hot spots,” where new disease threats have emerged in the past. In its first year, the EPT program will focus on “hot spots” in the Congo Basin of East and Central Africa and in the Mekong region of Southeast Asia. In subsequent years, this focus will expand to include other “hot spots” in Southeast Asia, the Amazon region of South America, and the Gangetic Plain of South Asia.
Four key areas of emphasis comprise the EPT program:
- Wildlife pathogen detection: Identification of target pathogens in wildlife that threaten humans
- Risk determination: Characterization of the potential risk and method of transmission for specific diseases of animal origin
- Outbreak response capacity: Support for sustainable, country-level response
- 4. Risk reduction: Promotion of actions that minimize or eliminate the potential for the emergence and spread of new disease threats
INTRODUCTION
The Emerging Pandemic Threats Country Coordinator will provide USAID/Uganda with country backstopping, coordination and programmatic support to assist in successful implementation of the USAID’s Emerging Pandemic Threats Program. S/he will work with a wide array of US Government partners (e.g., US Centers for Disease Control, US Department of Defense), ministries, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and other implementing partners. S/he will also assist the Avian Influenza and Other Emerging Threats Unit in USAID/Washington with respect to the in-country operational support needed to facilitate implementation activities by EPT partners within Uganda.
The Emerging Pandemic Threats Country Coordinator, working with the USAID/Uganda Health team, will provide technical expertise to the Mission to coordinate activities associated with USAID/Washington’s EPT Program. S/he will
serve on the USG interagency health team, in particular, as part of the emerging threats technical working group. The Country Coordinator will liaise with other USG department and agency programs and activities in Uganda that align with and/or support the EPT Program. This Country Coordinator will be based in the US CDC –Uganda office in Entebbe to help facilitate USG interagency coordination.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Emerging Pandemic Threats Country Coordinator will:
1. Advise and provide technical input with respect to relevant issues regarding Emerging Pandemic Threats
- Provide technical input to the Uganda Mission and EPT Agreement Officer Technical Representatives (AOTRs) on surveillance, detection, and response to outbreaks of avian, pandemic and zoonotic diseases in animals
- Assist in the process of assessing the status of Uganda readiness for responding to EPTs in wildlife and humans
- Keep abreast of new developments and emerging issues that affect USAID’s priorities via literature review, attendance at technical meetings and workshops, and participation in relevant training events; formulate recommendations for responses to these developments and share with colleagues in USAID’s Africa Bureau, the Avian Influenza and Other Emerging Threats Unit leadership and the Uganda Mission
2. Monitor and Evaluate
- Support project AOTRs in monitoring and evaluating EPT projects
- Formulate suggestions to project AOTRs on how to improve implementation or to redirect efforts of EPT projects when required
- Document and track lessons learned in Uganda which will help guide implementation of the EPT program
3. Liaise between the region and USAID/Washington
- Report on EPT activities in Uganda to EPT AOTRs and the Africa Bureau EPT Advisor
- Report on EPT guidance from USAID/Washington to USAID/Uganda
4. Coordinate EPT partners and key stakeholders in Uganda
- Help identify key stakeholders in Uganda in the field of EPT
- Establish and maintain a coordination network among key stakeholders in Uganda to include: USAID/Washington, USAID regional and country Missions, USG agencies in Uganda, US Embassies, Uganda ministries, UN organizations, other donors, private sector, international and local nongovernmental organizations, etc.
- Assist the EPT program managers in ensuring that the EPT program is carried out in accordance with Agency and State Department directives
- Assist USG stakeholders in coordination of activities to create a ‘Whole of Government’ approach to similar work in Uganda (e.g., PEPFAR)
5. Serve as a source of EPT information in Uganda
- Technically present USAID’s EPT works at ministry meetings
- Serve as a source of information on EPT to address concerns/ questions from US Embassy, USAID Mission, and USG in Uganda
6. Provide management and logistic support for USAID/Uganda
- Coordinate EPT related travel (such as write cables, set up ministry meetings, etc.)
- Create Standard Operating Procedures for how EPT partners should engage and work in Uganda
- Produce briefing materials, reports (such as EPT Coordinator activities, travel plans, and TDYs reports), and other updates as needed on EPT
- Assist in ensuring the proper customs documentation are in place for equipment and supplies being shipped to Uganda
- Maintain a database of EPT activities and events
- Document outbreaks in Uganda by developing a date log to track outbreaks
- Track and maintain records on relevant meetings in Uganda
- Track the monitoring and reporting of overall program plans, results, and deliverables and maintain the files and lists of mission focal points and relevant Agency and USG programs
Other tasks or responsibilities may be assigned based on (a) organizational and programming need and/or (b) the Technical Advisor’s own interests.
REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
- Master’s degree or higher in public health, animal health, public policy, epidemiology, or related discipline
- Minimum five years’ experience working in public health or a related field with at least two years’ experience with program monitoring and evaluation in an international or resource challenged setting
- Knowledge of monitoring and evaluation methodology including frameworks, data quality assurance, analysis reporting and best practices in data dissemination
- Excellent leadership, communications and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a broad range of USG personnel and partners, and in a team environment and communicate highly technical information to human health, animal health, and non-health audiences. Ability to work in a team setting
- Knowledge of USAID policies, procedures, and reporting requirements desirable
- Flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities and environment
- Ability to interpret strategy, to analyze, develop, and present work results and to monitor and evaluate program implementation
- Demonstrated ability in maintaining close counterpart relationships, both governmental and in the partner community is highly preferred
- High degree of judgment, maturity, ingenuity, and originality to interpret strategy, to analyze, develop, and present work results and to monitor and evaluate implementation of programs
- Willingness to travel
- US Citizenship or Permanent Residency required
- Ability to obtain medical clearance to live and work in Uganda required
SALARY AND BENEFITS
Salary will be based on commensurate experience and earnings history. The Public Health Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package including professional development programs http://www.ghfp.net/docs/2010_Benefits_for_GHFP_Fellows.pdf
TO APPLY
All applicants are required to apply for this position through GHFP’s online recruitment system at https://www.ghfp.net/recruitment/, which allows you to store your CV, profile and bio data form in our database. A separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application. All online applications must be submitted by 5:00 pm Eastern Time January 18, 2011.
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