Background

In Viet Nam, climate change is expected to pose increasing health risks to communities, the health system, and healthcare facilities. These risks stem from the rising frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as prolonged heatwaves, floods, droughts, saltwater intrusion, wildfires, and storm surges as well as from deteriorating air quality, compromised water quality, and the spread of food-borne, vector-borne, and zoonotic diseases.

In 2023, the Viet Nam Health Environment Management Agency (VIHEMA), now the Viet Nam Administration of Disease Prevention (VADP), with support from WHO Viet Nam, developed a set of indicators to assess community vulnerability and adaptive (V&A) capacity to climate change. This existing set of indicators serves as a valuable tool for provincial authorities. However, since healthcare facilities are essential units for communities in responding to climate change impacts, enhancing the capacity of healthcare workers is crucial for effectively conducting V&A assessments in these settings. Building on WHO’s global recommendations for assessing vulnerabilities in healthcare facilities in the context of climate change, there is a need for clear, locally adapted guideline to conduct V&A assessments in healthcare facilities in Viet Nam.

In addition, VIHEMA, with support from WHO, has developed three models of Climate-Resilient and Environmentally Sustainable Health Care Facilities (CRESHCFs) in the provinces of Nghe An, Lao Cai, and Ben Tre. During the implementation process, both VIHEMA and WHO recognized that applying the CRESHCF framework would be more effective if Vulnerability and Adaptation (V&A) assessments were conducted at the facility level beforehand. To accelerate the development and nationwide implementation of CRESHCFs, it is essential to provide local-level tools and training to help identify climate-related risks and adaptive capacities within healthcare facilities.

For this purpose, WHO Viet Nam is recruiting one free-lance national expert to provide consultancy services for the development of a guideline on V&A assessment for healthcare facilities, and to carry out V&A assessments in two of the three pilot sites previously developed by VIHEMA and WHO.

 

Objectives of the activity

To provide consulting service in developing a guideline on vulnerability and adaptation (V&A) assessment for healthcare facilities

 

Timelines:

Start Date:  20 June 2025

End Date:   30 August 2025

Number of working days as a consultant: 18 non-consecutive working days

 

Specific Requirements

Educational Qualifications required:

At least Master degree in public health, environmental health, environmental science or other relevant areas from a recognized university.

 

Experience required:

• The consultant shall (a) have at least 7 years of experience in dealing with climate change, and public health, environmental health, climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment (V&A) or WASH, energy
• Experience in development or implementation of V&A assessment for community or health sector is advantage.

 

Skills/ Knowledge:

• Knowledge on climate change aspects in the countries
• Experience and skills in developing guidelines, especially on V&A assessment, developing training materials for capacity building and plan for adaptation and mitigation in climate change
• Working experience at healthcare facility level
• Training and communication skills
• Teamwork spirit, coordinating skills are needed for this post.

 

Language requirements:

Excellent in writing and speaking English. Fluency in Vietnamese as a mother tongue.

 

Place of assignment

The Consultant is required to work mainly at his/her own places in Hanoi and travel to conduct field trips in the two provinces.

 

Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

 

Travel

The Consultant is expected to travel according to the itinerary and estimated schedule below:

Travel dates				Location:
From	20 June 2025	To	30 August 2025	Nghe An and Lao Cai
Purpose:		To test draft guideline on V&A assessment for HCFs at the two selected models for CRESHCFs and train for focal points.

Attachment

Call for Expressions of Interest

 

Address for Applications

Administrative Officer

World Health Organization

304 Kim Ma, Hanoi, Viet Nam

Or by email at:

[email protected]

 

Deadline for Submissions

12 June 2025