Surveillance Officer
Organizational Context
The World Health Organization (WHO) in Guinea-Bissau is responding to the first documented outbreak of mpox in a complex health, social, and operational environment. The role of the Surveillance Officer is crucial for strengthening national capacities in epidemic preparedness and response, particularly in regions facing increased risk due to population mobility and surveillance system fragilities.
Job Purpose
The Surveillance Officer will support the Ministry of Public Health and WHO in Guinea-Bissau to enhance epidemiological surveillance for vaccine-preventable diseases, including mpox, acute flaccid paralysis, measles, and neonatal tetanus. Based in one of the country's health regions, the officer will conduct active case finding, provide technical support for training health workers, advocate for local engagement in surveillance activities, and contribute to data analysis for decision-making. This role is vital for early detection, rapid response, and ultimately, the elimination of disease transmission, aligning with national and global health security strategies.
Responsibilities
The Surveillance Officer will be responsible for strengthening epidemiological surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases, including active case finding and supporting sentinel surveillance sites. This involves providing technical assistance to health regions and facilities, conducting training and refresher courses for health personnel, and advocating for local commitment to community surveillance. The role also includes supporting the identification and notification of mpox cases, providing clinical training on case definitions and contact tracing, and ensuring timely data collection, validation, and analysis for informed decision-making. Additionally, the officer will monitor surveillance performance indicators, produce regular progress reports, and support immunization activities by assisting in micro-planning and monitoring the correct use of reporting tools.
Work Experience
The role requires experience in epidemiological surveillance, particularly for vaccine-preventable diseases. Experience in active case finding, training health workers, and data analysis is essential. Familiarity with public health challenges in similar contexts and collaboration with national health authorities and international organizations is also implied.
Skills
Key skills include epidemiological surveillance, active case finding, data analysis, report writing, training and capacity building, advocacy, and collaboration with health authorities and international partners. Proficiency in using digital data collection tools like ODK or Kobo Collect is also necessary.