Senior Public Health Assistant – G5 – TRI025 – UNOPS Contract - Tripoli, Lebanon

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

Eight years into the Syria crisis, Lebanon remains the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with nearly 950,000  Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR, about 20,000 refugees of other origins - mostly Iraqi - and Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate.  There are no formal camps for Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and refugees are living in hundreds of communities and locations across the country. 

The refugee response is led by the Government and UNHCR and UNDP, supported by the international community. As the designated lead agency in the refugee response, UNHCR has established a sector-based structure in Beirut and in the field. The structure brings together over 150 UN agencies, national and international NGO partners [over 150 actors, including UN agencies, national and international NGOs and Ministries] in identifying and agreeing on the strategic priorities to address the needs of Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese communities. The Lebanon Chapter of the Response Plan falls under the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), whereby UNHCR guides the refugee response and UNDP facilitates the resilience and stabilization component.

The UNHCR operational response in Lebanon is one of the largest for the organization. Media attention and the frequency of influential high-profile visitors is high. The Office has grown substantially in the past years and is currently operating with around 650 staff. Aside from the country office in the capital city of Beirut, UNHCR has field offices in Mount Lebanon, Qobayat, Tripoli, Tyre and Zahle.

UNHCR subsidizes referral care for Syrian refugees in existing secondary and tertiary health facilitates in Lebanon. Due to a shortage of funds it has been forced to do so using a restrictive set of eligibility criteria according to which, coverage is limited to life saving and obstetric care. In general, refugees cover 25% of the cost of care. In November 2013, UNHCR contracted a Third Party Administrator (TPA) to manage the provision of health care in Mount Lebanon/Beirut which expanded to the entire country in January 2014.

The TPA’s specific role is to manage Syrian refugees’ access to hospital care in line with the referral care guidelines or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The Senior Public Health Assistant is supervised by the Assistant Public Health Officer at the field level. S/he plays a supporting role in programme implementation and monitoring including data analysis and evaluation, information and communication on public health and nutrition-related issues and advocacy. The incumbent maintains frequent contacts with his/her supervisor, relevant colleagues within the same office or offices to exchange information and discuss issues of health cases as well as protection issues. Communication at a working level with implementing and operating partners as well as the TPA and hospitals on different cases are required.

UNHCR also supports access of refugees to subsidized Primary Health Care (PHC) services through an implementing partner in existing PHC centres. Mental Health services are equally provided free of charge to refugees and vulnerable Lebanese by implementing partner.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT

Responsibility (process and functions undertaken to achieve results)

• Support and assist the Assistant Public Health Officer with the implementation of the public health programme and ensure that health care services provided to refugees are based on Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), UNHCR and/or internationally recognized and most up to date standards and policies.
• Actively support and monitor the efficiency of referrals between relevant actors.
• Follow up with the Third Party Administrator (TPA) and the other partners on the medical referrals for secondary health care.
• Facilitate the referral of cases unable to afford the 25% refugee contribution of the referral care bills to available actors.
• Support the Assistant PH Officer in the health programme monitoring and field visits to the clinics and contracted hospitals.
• Participate in mobilizing the refugee community to address its health needs and concerns.
• Support the Assistant PH Officer in following up on the health OVs in terms of meetings, trainings and participation in the awareness sessions in the field.
• Update and disseminate information materials on public health based on standard practices and policies among partners.
• Assist and facilitate the work of the health and nutrition coordination working group.
• Work closely with the other UNHCR colleagues from protection, CS, registration, resettlement and others to support identification of priority health issues and ensure proper referral of refugees to the needed health services as well as case management and other protection needs.
• Work with the stake holders, including UN agencies, NGOs, MOPH, MOSA and other operational partners.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Authority (decisions made in executing responsibilities and to achieve results)

• Liaise with partners and circulate latest guidelines and updates.
• Follow-up on referrals and action taken.
• Organise field visits for coordination, referral and monitoring visits.

Accountability (key results that will be achieved)

• UNHCR’s health programmes meet minimum UNHCR and international standards.
• Refugees have access to crucial health services.