Job Vacancy at the World Health Organization
POSITION: National Consultant
Background
The WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health (SIMH) is a leading program designed to enhance access to community-centered mental health services for 100 million individuals through the reform of mental health systems and services across nine nations. In Ghana, the initiative seeks to expand access to high-quality, rights-based mental health services that are centered on individuals for an additional 5.2 million Ghanaians. Preventing suicide is a key issue for numerous Special Initiative nations, including Ghana.
Suicide represents a significant global health issue, leading to more than 700,000 fatalities each year, with 77% of these happening in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). It ranks as the fourth primary cause of death in individuals aged 15 to 29, and for each suicide, there are 20 additional attempts, leading to millions of behaviors related to suicide globally.
In Ghana, among young males, suicide ranks as one of the top causes of death. Suicide arises from an interplay of social, psychological, biological, and contextual elements, with risk factors such as financial strain, domestic abuse, and mood disorders worsened by humanitarian emergencies and economic uncertainty. Existing prevention initiatives are frequently disjointed, lacking coordination across sectors, and may not address the unique needs of individual countries. In reaction, WHO’s LIVE LIFE model offers a novel, all-encompassing, evidence-driven set of interventions that tackle issues like restricting access to means, responsible media coverage, cultivating life skills among youth, and the early identification and monitoring of at-risk individuals.
LIVE LIFE is an all-encompassing framework that combines evidence-supported methods to tackle the issue of suicide. The interventions are integrated within a structure backed by six cross-cutting pillars: situational analysis, multisectoral cooperation, awareness-raising and advocacy, organizational capacity enhancement, funding, and monitoring.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- The consultant will offer technical assistance for the execution of activities focused on suicide prevention in Ghana, including but not restricted to those mentioned below:
- Carry out a national analysis of suicide circumstances to guide country strategies for suicide prevention.
- Creation of a national suicide prevention plan, with a multi-sectoral steering group designated to monitor its continuous execution.
- Enhanced monitoring systems concerning suicide and self-harm in Ghana.
- Assist the Ghanaian government in pledging to undertake at least one measure to limit access to methods of suicide.
- Enhanced language and media representation concerning suicide in Ghana.
- Assistance to Sub-contractor(s) involved in suicide prevention efforts in Ghana.
QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, ABILITIES, AND LANGUAGES
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
- Essential: A bachelor’s degree in any health-related area, including Public Health, Medicine, Psychiatry, or a similar field from an accredited or recognized institution.
- Preferred: Demonstrated expertise in creating policies, strategies, and plans for health and social services.
EXPERIENCE
- Essential: A minimum of five years of relevant experience in health, at both national and international levels. Demonstrated experience in the public health sector (Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health) and in coordinating multi-sectoral agencies, including Civil Society Organizations, or within the mental health domain in Ghana.
- Desirable: Background in the mental health field, experience collaborating with WHO or additional development collaborators.
Skills/Knowledge
- Acquaintance and practical understanding of the Ghana Health Service/Ministry of Health framework, along with Civil Society Organizations focused on mental health in Ghana.
LANGUAGES AND REQUIRED LEVEL
- English (superb in writing and speaking). Moderate proficiency in any additional official language of WHO
LOCATION: Onsite: Ghana.
Compensation and budget (excluding travel expenses):
- Compensation will be determined according to UN Salary Structure NOC Level 1.
- A fixed-price agreement for consultancy services to carry out the aforementioned work.
- Payment will be made 25% at the time of contract signing and 75% upon delivery of the technical report.
- EXPECTED LENGTH OF AGREEMENT: 6 months (May to November 2025)
SUPPLEMENTARY DETAILS:
- This role is available exclusively to citizens of Ghana.
- This job announcement might be utilized to find applicants for other comparable consultancies at the same tier.
- Only applicants who are being seriously considered will be reached out to.
- A written examination can serve as a means of assessment.
How to Apply for this Job Vacancy at the World Health Organization
Closing Date: May 27, 2025
NOTE:
It is important to keep in mind that employers receive many applications for each job posting and will only select the most qualified candidates. Furthermore, NewsNowGh does not have any influence over the decisions made by employers/recruiters. As a result, we cannot guarantee that sending applications will lead to candidates being shortlisted or selected for a particular position.
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