Serial no: 2022/April/54
Issued on: 5 May 2022
Deadline: 29 May 2022
The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as one of the members of the Regional Technical Advisory Group on Dog-Mediated Human Rabies. This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.
Background
Rabies is a fatal but preventable zoonotic disease responsible for an estimated 59,000 deaths globally each year. Most deaths occur in Asia (59.6%), followed by Africa (36.4%), and approximately 40% are in children less than 15 years of age. Almost 99% of cases are transmitted through bites and scratches from infected dogs.
Although fatal once clinical signs appear, rabies can be prevented through (i) prompt access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) following an exposure, including thorough wound washing, a series of rabies vaccines, and in some cases rabies immunoglobulin (RIG); and (ii) mass dog vaccination to prevent disease transmission at its source.
Eight of 11 Member States in the WHO South-East Asia Region are endemic for rabies, and more than 1.4 billion people in the Region are at risk of rabies infection. In 2012, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office launched the Strategic framework for elimination of human rabies transmitted by dogs in the South-East Asia Region. Since then, substantial progress has been made in raising awareness on the importance of multisectoral cooperation and strategic focus on introduction of cost-effective intradermal rabies vaccination, strengthening laboratory diagnosis of animal rabies and promotion of One Health approach for rabies prevention and control in the Region. Many countries have developed national policy, guidelines and strategic framework for rabies control/elimination using One Health approach. There are success stories and good practices in executing community-based mass dog vaccination campaign and dog population management in many countries. WHO supported transfer of technology for commercial production of rabies monoclonal antibodies and two Rabies Monoclonal Antibodies are currently produced in India, which will help in accessibility and availability of passive immunization to reduce human rabies mortality. There are three WHO Collaborating Centers for rabies and one OIE Reference Laboratory for animal rabies in the Region.
In 2019, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) jointly launched Zero by 30: the global strategic plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. Zero by 30: the global strategic plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030: United Against Rabies Collaboration: first annual progress report: global strategic plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. This target is specifically included in WHO’s new Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Roadmap 2030 and aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 ‘to end epidemics of communicable diseases including Neglected Tropical Diseases by 2030’.
The Regional Technical Advisory Group on Dog-Mediated Human Rabies, comprised of experts on clinical management, surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, public health and programmatic prevention and control of human rabies and One Health approach, will play an important role in providing evidence-based recommendations to WHO on strategies to accelerate the progress in the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies in the Region towards the 2030 global elimination targets. The Regional Technical Advisory Group (RTAG) is the principal advisory group to WHO/SEARO for the elimination of rabies in WHO South-East Asia Region
Functions of the Regional Technical Advisory Group on Dog-Mediated Human Rabies
In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, the AG shall have the following functions:
- To review the situation of dog-mediated human rabies and its epidemiology in the Region periodically;
- To advise WHO on strategic directions, optimal strategies and tactics to strengthen national rabies elimination programmes and achieve zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies in endemic Member States in the Region in the context of the Global Roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021-2030 and Zero by 30: the global strategic plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030;
- To advise WHO on major issues and programme priorities that arise in the implementation of the recommended strategies and tactics in the Region;
- To advise WHO on priority research agendas and implementation in the Region to support evidence-based policy and strategy formulation;
- To advise WHO on strategic engagement with the WHO Member States, and the partners, particularly to strengthen One Health approach through multisectoral cooperation with the animal health sector and enhance international partnership to advance the achievement of zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies in endemic Member States.
Operations of the Regional Technical Advisory Group on Dog-Mediated Human Rabies
The Regional Technical Advisory Group on Dog-Mediated Human Rabies will be expected to meet on a biennial basis virtually or in person, usually for 2-3 days each time. Interim teleconferences may be required of the members. The working language of the group will be English. Meeting agendas shall be circulated at a minimum one month in advance of meetings with the accompanying research and background materials to inform the policy discussion, recommendations, and updates. Ad hoc meetings may be called in the event as needed; participation may be via telephone, video conference, electronic meeting, or other technology that permits real-time exchanges.
Ad-hoc working groups might also be formed as deemed necessary by the RTAG and the Secretariat. These working groups will work on specific topics by reviewing and providing evidence and options for recommendations to be discussed by RTAG members at biennial meetings. The working groups will function for a limited period of time and should always be presided over a RTAG member.
Who can express interest?
The Regional Technical Advisory Group on Dog-Mediated Human Rabies will be multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to prevention and control of dog-mediated human rabies. Approximately 15 experts may be selected.
WHO welcomes expressions of interest from professionals with a minimum of 10 years of demonstrated expertise and experience in the following areas:
- Dog-mediated rabies epidemiology
- Rabies surveillance
- Diagnosis and treatment of human rabies, including palliative and psychosocial care
- Access to quality-assured diagnostics, human vaccines, immunoglobin and other health products for rabies in low and middle-income countries
- Community-based interventions for prevention and control of dog-mediated human rabies, including community engagement and empowerment
- Health financing and investment case on rabies
- Health systems and programme delivery related to rabies
- Multisectoral collaboration and One Health interventions for prevention and control of dog-mediate human rabies
Submitting your expression of interest
To register your interest in being considered for the Regional Technical Advisory Group on Dog-Mediated Human Rabies, please submit the following documents by 29 May 2022 to mitra@who.int using the subject line “Expression of interest for the RTAG on dog mediated human rabies:
- A cover letter, indicating your motivation to apply and how you satisfy the selection criteria. Please note that, if selected, membership will be in a personal capacity. Therefore do not use the letterhead or other identification of your employer);
- Your curriculum vitae; and
- A signed and completed Declaration of Interests (DOI) form for WHO Experts, available at https://www.who.https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest.
After submission, your expression of interest will be reviewed by WHO. Due to an expected high volume of interest, only selected individuals will be informed.
Important information about the selection processes and conditions of appointment
Members of WHO advisory groups (AGs) must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest. To this end, applicants are required to complete the WHO Declaration of Interests for WHO Experts, and the selection as a member of a AG is, amongst other things, dependent on WHO determining that there is no conflict of interest or that any identified conflicts could be appropriately managed (in addition to WHO’s evaluation of an applicant’s experience, expertise and motivation and other criteria).
All AG members will serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments, any commercial industries or entities, any research, academic or civil society organizations, or any other bodies, entities, institutions or organizations. They are expected to fully comply with the Code of Conduct for WHO Experts (https://www.who.https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest). AG members will be expected to sign and return a completed confidentiality undertaking prior to the beginning of the first meeting.
At any point during the selection process, telephone interviews may be scheduled between an applicant and the WHO Secretariat to enable WHO to ask questions relating to the applicant’s experience and expertise and/or to assess whether the applicant meets the criteria for membership in the relevant AG.
The selection of members of the AGs will be made by WHO in its sole discretion, taking into account the following (non-exclusive) criteria: relevant technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; communication skills; and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations .The selection of AG members will also take account of the need for diverse perspectives from different regions, especially from low and middle-income countries, and for gender balance.
If selected by WHO, proposed members will be sent an invitation letter and a Memorandum of Agreement. Appointment as a member of a AG will be subject to the proposed member returning to WHO the countersigned copy of these two documents.
WHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest , to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for WHO’s action. WHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the AG, disband an existing TAG or modify the work of the AG.
WHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.
WHO may publish the names and a short biography of the selected individuals on the WHO internet.
AG members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the AG or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of AG members to participate in AG meetings will be covered by WHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules and procedures.
The appointment will be limited in time as indicated in the letter of appointment.
If you have any questions about this “Call for experts”, please write to mitrat@who.int well before the applicable deadline.
