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National Laboratory Consultant, 6 months, Tripoli, Libya, WHO

NOTE: For Libyan nationals only. If you meet the position requirements listed below (education and years of relevant work experience etc.) please follow the instructions ‘How to apply’ below.

Place of assignment

The Consultant is expected to perform her/his work from Tripoli, with frequent travel to Benghazi, and Sabha.

All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the prior authorization of WHO. While on a mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive applicable subsistence allowance.

Visas requirements: The Consultant’s responsibility is to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

Purpose of the Consultancy:

Countries should prepare laboratory capacity to manage large-scale testing for COVID‑19 domestically through public, private, and academic laboratories. If this is not possible, testing should be organized through arrangements with international reference laboratories. In addition, surge plans should be activated in community transmission to manage the increased volume of samples from suspected cases. WHO Libya advocates adapting laboratory capacity to meet surge demand during community transmission, low-capacity, and humanitarian settings. WHO can support access to relevant reference laboratories and protocols, reagents, and other supplies through the interagency COVID‑19 Supply Chain System (CSCS).

Laboratory testing is one of the critical interventions required to identify cases of COVID-19 in Libya and implement further public health measures. Now, 36 laboratories have been supported to perform molecular biology-based assays to diagnose COVID-19. WHO is planning to support NCDC to increase access to COVID-19 diagnostics by providing equipment, reagents, training, and routine supervision through the strengthening of the National capacity of the laboratory of COVID-19 for timely confirmation and management of extensive scale testing in the country (Pillar 5 of WHO SPRP). As part of the preparedness, response, and providing quality testing services, we propose to hire a laboratory officer under a consultancy contract. The individual will provide facility assessment, on-the-job training, and technical advice for NCDC staff for activities planned and any other laboratory related tasks assigned by the supervisor.

Work to be performed:

1. Support NCDC to conduct mapping and assessing national public health laboratories, capacities, and levels, including equipment availability and usage and preparedness for COVID-19 across the country.
2. Support national public health laboratory policies and standards, especially Antigen RDT, quality management systems and IPC control SOPs for COVID-19 labs across the country.
3. Support NCDC to conduct capacity building for laboratory staff on standard procedures across the country whenever needed.
4. Support NCDC to establish public health laboratories quality control task force.
5. Support and reinforce the rapid response surveillance and case findings, contact tracing use of latest case definitions and sample collection in Tripoli, Benghazi and Sebha.
6. Actively contribute to technical guidance to all labs on all stages of the molecular diagnosis of SARS-COV-2 from RNA extraction to amplification (RT-PCR).
7. Support NCDC to initiate and lay the foundation in sequencing viral RNA of positive samples within or outside Libya.
8. Contribute to biweekly and monthly operational and epidemiological reports whenever required.
9. Perform any other work/activity assigned by the organization (NCDC/WHO) to enhance laboratory services.

Deliverables:

At the end of the mission, the Consultant will have to:

1. Submit a biweekly technical report during the assignment
2. Submit updated lab mapping and assessment reports.
3. Antigen RDT SOPs and guidelines developed and implemented.
4. Quality control task forces in central COVID labs established.
5. A mechanism for transport and testing of samples outside Libya as per WHO protocols supported.

Educational qualifications:

Essential:

First Level University degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in lab sciences, molecular biology, virology, microbiology and or life sciences from an accredited and recognized institution.

Desirable:

Advanced University degree (Master’s level or above) in lab sciences, molecular biology, virology, microbiology and or life sciences from an accredited and recognized institution.

Certified training or qualification in molecular biology, virology, infectious diseases, and epidemiology and laboratory techniques.

Work experience:

Essential: A minimum of two (2) years of relevant work experience in the area of laboratory diagnosis of communicable diseases at the national and/or international level is required. Relevant experience in PCR antigen testing techniques is desirable. Past experience in operational application and management of laboratory services is highly desirable.

Skills/Technical skills and knowledge:

– Ability to work as part of a team.

– Strong organizational skills.

– Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint),

Language:

– Fluency in oral and written Arabic and English languages is required.

PROFILES SHOULD BE COMPLETED USING “WHO PERSONAL HISTORY FORM”. DULY COMPLETED FORM AND CV/RESUME SHOULD BE SENT WAITH A COVER LETTER TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS – [email protected]

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