Background
As of 30 April 2015, the Nepalese Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) has reported 5489 deaths and 10965 injured due to a massive earthquake measuring 7.8 Magnitude on the Richter scale, that struck Nepal on 25 April 2015.
The earthquake struck 77 kilometres (48 miles) northwest of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu at 0611 GMT on 25 Apr 2015, causing widespread damage, destruction and loss of lives including two dozen deaths in neighbouring countries – India, China and Bangladesh.
Of the 35 districts affected by the earthquake 13 are worst hit namely Bhaktpur, Dhading, Dolkha, Gorkha, Kathmandu, Kavre, Lalitpur, Makawanpur, Nuwakot, Ramechhap, Rasuwa , Sindhuli and Sindupalchowk.
The MOHP is coordinating the overall response from its health operations centre in Kathmandu, with senior staff deployed to affected districts for coordination. Medical teams from multiple countries have been deployed in assistance and are currently working to deliver trauma care and tend to injuries out of field hospitals in Kathmandu and other affected areas.
At least 2.8 million people are displaced internally, more than 3.5 million are estimated to be in need of food assistance. Approximately 8 million are affected and in urgent need of basic supplies, food, water, shelter and medical care. Immediate health risks are death from injuries, and tetanus in wounded persons. There is a high probability of outbreaks of waterborne and foodborne diseases, measles, and at a later stage malaria and dengue, compounded by overcrowding and displacement. There is likely to be an increase in mental health conditions, acute malnutrition, childhood diseases, and complications of pregnancy and childbirth due to difficulties accessing health care.
See latest situational update on the WHO SEARO website:
http://www.searo.who.int/entity/emergencies/nepal-earthquake-2015/en/
WHO Response
WHO has deployed 15 response experts and medical supplies to support the Nepalese MoHP response to the needs of the 8 million people affected by the massive destruction from the severe earthquake. The MoHP, WHO, Foreign Medical Teams (FMTs) and Health Cluster partners have developed a joint health response strategy and action plan. WHO has categorized this as a grade 3 emergency (the highest level), and is providing extensive support to the Ministry.
WHO has teams deployed to provide support to populations in the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara areas, and may need to expand at short notice to other earthquake affected areas.
WHO is providing support for the coordination of field hospitals and FMTs, and for the restoration of national health system for basic emergency services. WHO is also supporting the MoHP to strengthen alert and response capacity to rapidly detect and respond to disease outbreaks and other public health threats related to food and environmental hazards.
There is a high need for experts speaking Nepali; risk assessment in the 11 affected districts has been identified as top priority in the current situation, while relief efforts in Kathmandu have already started.
Request for multi-disciplinary expertise assistance
WHO urgently requests GOARN partners to explore the availability of Nepali language speaking experts to support immediate international assistance, especially disease surveillance/ alert and response in the field.
The Operational Support Team requests GOARN partners to be on standby, and alert suitable/available staff with specific technical expertise in EWARN (early warning and response) for epidemic-prone diseases in post-natural disaster settings and to support surveillance and response activities in the field, coordination, logistics, and communications.
There may be additional calls for experts in infection prevention and control, laboratory, logistics, and supply management, risk communication, water and sanitation.
We would be grateful for advice on availability of experienced staff and support in South East Asia as a priority.
Competencies and experience required
§ Education and special training in the respective areas/fields. Experience in previous major disasters, emergency situations, and international outbreak response highly desirable.
§ Ability to work as a team member/team leader
§ Ability to manage competing priorities, and tight deadlines, under stress and pressure.
§ Experience of working with WHO, UN or International Organizations is an asset.
§ Proven experience of humanitarian action in complex environments.
Knowledge, abilities and skills
The candidate is expected to demonstrate the following:
§ Excellent writing and analytical skills.
§ Ability to communicate and write in a clear concise manner, and to develop effective guidelines.
§ Ability to conceptualize and promote innovative strategies and policies.
§ Excellent negotiation and interpersonal skills complemented by ability to motivate and lead others and to promote consensus. Tact, discretion and diplomacy.
§ Demonstrated ability for project appraisal, project management, monitoring and evaluation and project impact assessment.
§ Ability to work with host governments and their agents, INGOs and national NGOs an advantage.
§ Proven experience of managing a large workload and multiple priorities.
§ Ability to work in difficult conditions.
Languages
Fluency in English is essential. Fluency in Nepali is essential for district level deployments.
Duration
WHO is planning to support this response for an initial 3 month period, with deployments of 6 to 12 weeks.
Location
The experts may be based at the WHO Country Office in Kathmandu, or in operational bases that WHO is setting up in the most heavily affected areas.
Security
Security updates will be provided for each deployment as necessary.
Support to the mission
WHO/GOARN will cover the travel and per diem (to cover daily expense in the field) expenses for the duration of their mission. GOARN missions do NOT offer salary, consultancy fees or any other form of remuneration.
WHO will provide appropriate logistics support for the field mission.
Partners offers of assistance
Partners are requested to reply with offers of assistance, together with biodata form (attached), CVs and details of the availability of staff for this mission by email to goarn@who.int asap. Details of all offers from partners and eventual deployments will be maintained on the GOARN SharePoint.
The situation is evolving rapidly and the OST will provide further updates and details as they become available.
We look forward to receiving your offers and thank you again for your support to the Network.
Operational Contacts
WHO SEARO
Bardan Jung Rana: ranab@who.int
WHO Emergency response
Adelheid Marschang: marschanga@who.int
GOARN Operational Support Team
Sameera Suri: suris@who.int
Pat Drury: druryp@who.int
GOARN Secretariat: goarn@who.i
Download the GOARN application form
Download the PDF version of this announcement