Overall Purpose

The Public Health in Emergencies (One Health) Officer will lead the implementation, monitoring, and coordination of One Health interventions, with a focus on zoonotic diseases, livestock health, and the human-animal-environment interface. The officer will coordinate and collaborate across sectors such as public health, livestock, and environmental health to strengthen disease surveillance and outbreak response in Tana River County. The role will ensure that vulnerable communities, particularly pastoralists, are supported in reducing the risk of zoonotic disease transmission and are better prepared to respond to public health emergencies.

Scope of the role

• Project Management
• Supervision and oversight
• Leadership & Coaching
• Partnership and stakeholder management
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Budget management

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Implementation and Coordination:

• Lead the planning, implementation, and monitoring of One Health interventions in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Development, health and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate disease surveillance activities for zoonotic diseases such as Rift Valley Fever (RVF), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), and others that impact both humans and animals.
• Ensure effective collaboration with the county's multi-sectoral One Health coordination mechanisms and national-level teams for zoonotic disease prevention and response.

Capacity Building and Training:

• Train Community Health Promotors (CHPs) and Community Disease Reporters (CDRs) on the One Health approach, emphasizing zoonotic disease identification, reporting, and response.
• Collaborate with livestock and veterinary services to facilitate the roll-out of the Kenya Animal Bio-surveillance System (KABS) and Community-Based Surveillance (CBS) platforms.
• Support the County and Sub-County officers to become trainers for CHPs and CDRs in One Health Units in high-risk wards like Chewele, Madogo, and others.

Disease Surveillance and Reporting:

• Strengthen routine disease surveillance systems by integrating human and animal health data collection and analysis for early detection of outbreaks.
• Conduct risk assessments in areas prone to zoonotic diseases, such as areas with livestock migration or stagnant water that could increase vector-borne disease transmission.
• Coordinate sample collection from farms and animal populations for laboratory analysis to inform timely responses and vaccinations.

Livestock Health Interventions:

• Oversee livestock vaccination exercises in line with the agreed vaccination calendar and in collaboration with county livestock teams.
• Monitor livestock health in flood-prone areas to prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases from animals to humans, particularly in vulnerable populations (e.g., malnourished children and pregnant/lactating women).

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration:

• Collaborate closely with county health departments, the livestock department, and other relevant government bodies to ensure coordinated public health interventions.
• Actively participate in national-level discussions on One Health approaches and share lessons learned from Tana River County interventions.
• Engage with partners such as Germany Agro–Action, NDMA, and local stakeholders to support logistical needs, including transportation of vaccines, supplies, and support drugs.

Protection Mainstreaming and Community Engagement:

• Integrate protection, gender, and inclusion principles in the planning and implementation of public health interventions.
• Ensure that training materials and methodologies are accessible to marginalized and at-risk groups, including women, children, and people with disabilities.
• Support community awareness initiatives to promote safe practices in livestock handling and zoonotic disease prevention.

Reporting and Documentation:

• Prepare and submit regular reports on program progress, challenges, and outcomes, ensuring data-driven decision-making.
• Document lessons learned and best practices in the One Health approach to strengthen future interventions.

KRCS One Health program support:

• Working closely with the PHiE manager, support the design of KRCS One Health strategy and the engagement of One-Health partners at county, regions and national.

Desired Competencies

• Technical Expertise: Knowledge in veterinary medicine, public health, project management, and emergency response.
• Communication Skills: Ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including community members, government officials, and donors.
• Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead and manage field teams in challenging environments.
• Problem-Solving: Ability to identify issues, develop solutions, and implement them effectively.
• Flexibility: Willingness to work in a dynamic and sometimes unpredictable environment.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Project Focal persons and volunteers

Education and Experience

• Degree in veterinary medicine with Public Health experience.
• At least three years of experience in managing veterinary and public health related projects, preferably in an emergency or humanitarian context.
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili is required. Knowledge of local languages in Tana River is an added advantage.