GVA: Health Officer (Community based Surveillance), NO-2, Multiple location, Democratic Republic of Congo - WCAR

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The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is responding to its 17th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, confirmed in May 2026 and affecting Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces. The situation remains complex and evolving, with transmission occurring in both community and health-care settings. Response efforts are led by national authorities in a context shaped by health system limitations, logistical constraints, insecurity, displacement, and diverse community perceptions influencing health-seeking behaviors.UNICEF supports the Government through a multi-sectoral approach, focusing on community engagement, surveillance, infection prevention, and the continuity of essential services for vulnerable populations.This context requires strong coordination, adaptability, and cultural sensitivity to support effective and equitable response efforts, particularly for children and at-risk communities.

How can you make a difference?

The health system is under considerable strain, with capacities for isolation, rapid diagnosis, and case management sometimes being limited. Challenges related to specimen collection, transportation, and analysis, as well as delays in reporting and validating data, can hinder the timely confirmation of cases and the rapid implementation of control measures.

The operational context remains particularly complex, marked by persistent insecurity, population displacement, inter-provincial mobility, and limited humanitarian access in certain areas. These constraints are further compounded by mistrust among some communities toward the health system, the spread of rumors, and delayed recourse to healthcare facilities or reliance on traditional practices. These factors can delay the reporting of alerts, the isolation of suspected cases, and the effective monitoring of contacts.

MAJOR DUTIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Implementation of Community-Based Surveillance
• Detection and Reporting of Alerts
• Case and Contact Follow-up
• Supervision and Support of Community-Based Personnel
• Coordination with Health Facilities
• Collaboration with SBC/RCCE (Social and Behaviour Change / Risk Communication and Community Engagement)
• Data Management and Monitoring
• Reporting
• Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Vaccination