VN027 A Project Coordinator on ‘Improving the Quality of Hospital Care to Reduce Maternal, Newborn and Child deaths in Viet Nam’

Background

In the past decade, many countries strengthened access and coverage of effective interventions for women, newborns and children. Governments and partners invested in scaling up of essential interventions, and through coordinated actions, accelerated the pace of achieving MDGs and SDGs. As a result, global under-five mortality declined by 53% and maternal mortality by 44% since 1990. However, each year nearly 300,000 women still die of complications during pregnancy or childbirth and almost six million children aged 14 and younger lose their lives mostly from preventable causes.

The World Health Organization recognizes that improved quality of maternity and pediatrics care and patient safety are among the highest priorities to reduce preventable deaths and disability. In addition, the available evidence indicates that adverse events in early life play a major role in susceptibility to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in adulthood.

To help countries develop best practices and lesson learnt on improving maternal and pediatrics quality of care, the Russian Federation government provided financial support through WHO to four countries, including Viet Nam. The initiative will incorporate quality of care interventions and health systems strengthening in order to improve the entire spectrum of maternal, newborn and child health care and services in four selected countries.

Although Viet Nam has made achievements toward achieving SDGs regarding maternal and child mortality rates, there is still a big parity between remote/rural and urban areas. Infant mortality rates were 8.2/1000 live births in urban and 16.7/1000 live births in the rural areas (GSO 2019). Maternal mortality rates were highest in the mountainous and highland areas, which were from 10 to 20 times higher than in the urban area (MDSR report 2019).

At the request of MOH, WHO will implement this project, which aims to improve quality of maternal and child health care especially in the remote areas, contributing to the reduction of maternal and child mortality in Viet Nam in the next period.

Planned timelines (subject to confirmation): 1 year with possible extension

Start date:  25/06/2021

End date: 24/06/2022

Work to be performed

The Project Coordinator will be based in the Maternal and Child Health Department, Ministry of Health. He or she will work under the direction of MCH department and report to the Team Coordinator of Universal Health Coverage and Healthy Lifestyle and Environment UHC-HLE, Viet Nam Country Office, with the following Terms of Reference:

• Coordinating with the focal point of the Maternal and Child Health Department to develop plans, project proposal, outlines of activities, and supervise the implementation of the project quarterly and annually under the direction of MCH Department.
• Participating in the organization and implementation of the project activities, promptly detecting issues in the implementation process and proposing solutions to the MCH Leaders and consulting with WHO Viet Nam.
• Preparing quarterly and annual project activity reports (including technical reports and financial reports if required) under the direction of the MCH Department.
• Participating in field trips and carrying out work related to the business trip (content preparation, logistics, coordination, report writing...).
• Providing administrative and logistical support for international/national experts, gathering information, synthesizing and preparing documents for reports, meetings, business trips...

Performing other tasks as directed by the leaders of Department of Maternal and Child Health and WHO Viet Nam when required

Address for applications:
Administrative Officer
World Health Organization
UN Building, 304 Kim Ma Street, Hanoi, Viet Nam
Or by email at: wpvnmapplicants@who.int

Note: applicants should indicate vacancy notice number and title of position in the email subject