Medical Officer (Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B)
Organizational Context
The Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care (PPC) at WHO aims to advance global health by integrating promotion, prevention, and care. The Department for HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections (HTH) leads efforts to end these diseases by setting standards and ensuring equitable access to services and innovations.
Job Purpose
This role is crucial for coordinating the development and implementation of evidence-based normative guidance on the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B. The Medical Officer will ensure WHO's leadership in this area, working collaboratively with internal departments and external stakeholders. The position involves providing technical expertise and capacity building to regional and country offices, supporting member states in health system strengthening for elimination and validation, and disseminating lessons learned globally. The role also coordinates the Triple Elimination Initiative and the Global Validation Secretariat, contributing to the global effort to end paediatric infections.
Responsibilities
Coordinate the development of evidence-based normative guidance for EMTCT, ensuring WHO leadership and collaboration with relevant departments and external stakeholders. Revise WHO guidance on EMTCT, including monitoring, evaluation, validation approaches, baselines, and targets. Provide technical expertise and capacity building to WHO regional and country offices for guideline dissemination and implementation, fostering south-to-south learning. Offer technical guidance to member states on policy, capacity building, health system strengthening, and integration for elimination and validation, including M&E frameworks, human rights, community engagement, and gender equity. Ensure dissemination of implementation impacts and lessons learned globally. Coordinate the Triple Elimination Initiative and the Global Validation Secretariat, managing partnerships for EMTCT validation with UN agencies and multilateral partners. Serve as the technical focal point for the EMTCT agenda, addressing prevention and care for specific populations and coordinating updates of related guidelines. Participate in interagency forums and partnerships, contributing to the integration of EMTCT responses within primary and reproductive health platforms. Collaborate with technical focal points to scale up treatment and care for pregnant and breastfeeding women and infants, focusing on postpartum service delivery. Provide technical input for research agendas and monitoring trends of HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and STIs in infants and children. Build and sustain collaborations with key stakeholders, including UN agencies, Global Fund, Unitaid, NGOs, and academic partners. Perform other tasks as assigned by the Unit Head.
Work Experience
Essential: Minimum seven years of progressive professional experience in infectious disease programs, focusing on HIV and/or STI programs, including policy development, program implementation, service delivery, and research at national/international levels. Demonstrated international exposure. Experience in developing and implementing policies, strategies, and guidelines for communicable diseases and integrated service delivery. At least two years of experience providing implementation guidance and technical support for EMTCT in LMICs. Proven experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders. Desirable: Experience in developing technical partnerships and service delivery in LMICs (SRH and MCH). Substantial experience with WHO, UN system, or other international organizations in HIV/STI programs.
Skills
Thorough knowledge of clinical and public health aspects of paediatric HIV, viral hepatitis, and STIs treatment and care. Ability to evaluate research and translate evidence into recommendations for resource-constrained settings. Proven ability to develop and update policies and guidelines. In-depth knowledge of EMTCT and early infant treatment/care approaches and their integration into health systems. Ability to analyze, coordinate, and communicate actions for policy and strategy development. Skills in promoting community engagement, human rights, and gender equity. Excellent partnership building, tact, and diplomacy.