The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution, which establishes the agency’s governing structure and principles, states its main objective as “the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.

JOB TITLE: National Consultant – Support FMoH in the Development of National Hypertension Guideline and Adoption of National Tools for NCD Data Collection

JOB LOCATION: Abuja
Contractual Arrangement: Individual service contractor
Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 40 Days
Organization: AF_NGA Nigeria
Schedule: Full-time
Grade: No grade

Objectives of the Program

• Hypertension is the number one cardiovascular disease (CVDs) and leading cause of death worldwide. Nearly 80% of the CVD burden occur in the low- and middle-income countries including Nigeria. According to the 2018 WHO Country Profiles, NCDs accounted for 29% of all deaths in Nigeria of which CVD, predominantly hypertension, is responsible for 11% of all the NCDs mortality. Most of the deaths occur prematurely in persons below 69 years of age.
• Over the years, national responses to the hypertension epidemic have been haphazard without a comprehensive national guideline that address both prevention and management aspects of hypertension.
• However past efforts by the Nigeria Hypertension Society produced clinical guidelines which lacked multi-stakeholder participation. As a quick win, the FMOH adapted Nigeria Hypertension Treatment Protocol in 2020 and developed tools for data collection, both being implemented in selected PHC center’s in Kano and Ogun States
• Under the guidance of the National Coordinator NCDs, the WHO Country Representative and in close consultation with the Cardiovascular Disease Control Unit, the consultant will desk review literatures, documents and then finalize the draft National guidelines for the prevention, control and management of hypertension in Nigeria.
• The consultant will review the current tools available in country for hypertension management and finalize the draft national tools for hypertension programmes

Description of Duties
The Consultant will perform the following duties under the technical supervision of the Cluster Lead UCN:

• Output 1: Undertake a desk-review of relevant literatures and documents including among others the WHO global hypertension guidelines, WHO HEARTS technical package for cardiovascular disease management in PHCs, WHO Package of Essential NCDs Interventions in PHCs, 2019 – 2025 Multi-Sectoral Action Plan for the prevention and control of NCDs in Nigeria, and Nigeria Hypertension Society’s guidelines 2020
• Deliverable 1.1: Draft hypertension guideline to be reviewed by stakeholders submitted to the NCD Division FMOH
• Output 2: Participate and support facilitation Stakeholders/Experts workshop to review draft hypertension guideline and data collection tools.
• Deliverable 2.1: Reviewed hypertension guideline submitted to NCD Division FMOH
• Deliverable 2.2:  Reviewed data tools available and submitted to NCD Division FMOH
• Output 3:  Participate and support facilitation Stakeholders/Experts workshop to validate and finalize draft hypertension guideline and data collection tools
• Deliverable 3.1: Validated hypertension guideline submitted to NCD Division FMOH
• Deliverable 3.2: Validated data tools available and submitted to NCD Division FMOH

Required Qualifications
Education:

• Advanced Degree in Public Health
• Knowledge of and experience in public health/non-communicable diseases programme and clear comprehension of strategies, polices, guidelines and legislation

Essential:

• Advanced Degree in Public Health
• Higher degrees in Medicine preferably a Cardiologist, Neurologist or a Nephrologist

Experience:
Essential:

• At least 10-years knowledge of and experience in public health/non-communicable diseases programme and clear comprehension of strategies, polices, guidelines and legislation
• Knowledge and experience in developing training manuals for the health sector
• Have proven experience in writing National or Regional Guidelines, Protocols, Strategies, Framework, and Policy Papers.
• Be conversant with the tools and framework of NCDs control.
• Have knowledge about Nigeria’s health systems.
• Be computer literate in terms of text processing and data analysis;

Desirable:

• Relevant work experience with WHO/other UN agencies/International development agencies

Skills:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent writing skills
• Ability to communicate well and explain technical and programmatic issues.   
• Extensive knowledge of standard Microsoft Package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience with data analysis packages will be added advantage.
• S/he should have at least 10 years of confirmed working experience in similar assignment.
• Have an excellent analysis, synthesis and report writing ability.
• Be a team player and able to work under pressure

WHO Competencies:

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Producing results

Use of Language Skills:

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English
• Desirable: Knowledge of major Nigerian languages.

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