UNDP Jobs - 53431- International Expert on Healthcare Waste Managemen

International Expert on Healthcare Waste Management Issues and Technologies on Healthcare Waste Treatment

Location :

Home-based with two missions to Kazakhstan

Type of Contract :

Individual Contract

Starting Date :

02-Mar-2015

Application Deadline :

10-Feb-15 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

International Consultant

Duration of Initial Contract :

March-December 2015

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

The “NIP update, integration of POPs into national planning and promoting sound healthcare waste management in Kazakhstan” Project objective is to reduce the releases of unintentionally produced persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and other globally harmful pollutants into the environment by promoting sound healthcare waste management in Kazakhstan; and to assist the country in implementing its relevant obligations under the Stockholm Convention.

The project consists of the following components:

Updating the NIP of the Stockholm Convention and improvement of the institutional coordination of MEAs on chemicals;
Assessment of overall mercury situation; formulation of initial plan on mercury reduction and containment;
Minimization of unintentional POPs and mercury releases in selected hospitals through demonstration of sound Health-care Waste Management approaches;
Monitoring, learning, adaptive feedback, outreach, and evaluation.

National capacities on POPs monitoring is a key condition for the development initial plan on mercury reduction and promoting sound healthcare waste management.
Uncontrolled incineration of medical waste is a significant source of dioxin and furan releases. The existing Kazakhstan’s legal system regulating healthcare waste was established by the introduction of sanitary requirements by the Ministry of Public Health in 2004, 2007, and 2012. These acts provided for prohibition of infectious waste disposal on sanitary landfills and contributed to the construction of waste incinerators in the provinces.

The changes, which were introduced into the healthcare legislation were not, though, coordinated with relevant environmental regulatory measures. One current example is that sanitary requirements do not fill regulatory gaps concerning imposition of hazardous healthcare waste’s transportation rules according to the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, and ADR agreement of which Kazakhstan is a party, and control of waste treatment operations, including emission standard for waste incineration.

Legislation of Kazakhstan does not set emission standards for waste incineration or any other technical requirements for the given process. However, waste incinerator, as any other object of waste disposal, is to be assessed in terms of its environmental impact and has to obtain a permit for waste utilization before it sets to work. The given permit includes requirements on release of some pollutants, with the exception of uPOPs and heavy metals, with the follow up payment of relevant environmental duties. However, in reality pollution test checks are not performed; the volume of incinerator emissions is estimated theoretically in the process of getting a permit for its operation and later is to be adjusted and monitored by its owner. Thus, monitoring and control over emissions resulting from waste incineration is practically inexistent. Considerable deterioration of environmental situation is observed during incineration of infectious wastes, which according to generally accepted practice, undergo bromine chlorine disinfection prior to incineration, which leads to still greater release of dioxins and furans; chlorine compounds are released in disposal fields as well. Additional environmental problem is due to formal classification of fallouts following incineration of domestic wastes and utilization of these fallouts in disposal fields that not meant for that.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of work:

In order to achieve the objectives of the project «NIP update, integration of POPs into national planning and promoting sound healthcare waste management in Kazakhstan» (Component 3) will be carried out the following activities:

Development of proposals on the technologies on healthcare waste treatment for pilot sites;
Recommendations on replacement of mercury thermometers on mercury-free thermometers according to WHO technical specification requirements;
Recommendations on the specialized vehicles for healthcare waste transportation according to the requirements of European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) including: conversion of available vehicles; healthcare waste transportation;
Proposals on activity price computation for services on healthcare waste treatment for pilot installations;
Development of proposals on amendments to the existing legislation on measures for reducing volume of infectious HCW production;
Development of proposals for training program on healthcare waste treatment for medical educational institutions and courses of advanced studies, including: provision of the materials for development of training program (programs and courses, educational modules) of various countries; analysis of developed program and development of comments and proposals on its finalization;
Support on adoption of drafts regional and national healthcare waste management plans (participation in trainings (3) with presentation for target groups (representatives of government authorities, healthcare facilities);
Consultations on project issues;
Development of progress report.

Other responsibilities:

Work with National expert on healthcare waste and mercury management;
Work with local consultants in pilot regions.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Demonstrates integrity by modelling the UN’s values and ethical standard;
Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of UNDP and GEF;
Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability;
Treats all people fairly without favouritism.

Functional competencies:

Reports to the Project Manager.
Provides timely and quality completion of terms of reference.
Ensures completion of all contract requirements.

Required Skills and Experience

Academic qualification:

Master's degree in natural sciences, environment, medicine, medical and/or chemical engineering.

Experience:

Minimum work experience in healthcare waste treatment not less than 7 years;
Work experience in implementing projects on healthcare waste treatment and management in international organizations not less than 5 years;
Work experience in implementing and monitoring projects on waste management in UNDP/GEF context.

Language requirements:

Fluent in English.

Important note:

Detailed information can be found here: http://www.kz.undp.org/content/kazakhstan/en/home/operations/procurement/ic-contracts/international-expert-on-healthcare-waste-management-issues-and-t.html

Interested individual consultants must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications to the e-mail address: zulfiya.baisagatova@undp.org

Filled and signed P11.
Personal CV including past experience in relevant field\area.
Methodology.
Cover letter, explaining why he/she consider himself/herself the most suitable candidate for the work.
Standard letter on confirmation of interest and submission of financial proposal.
Please group all your documents into one (1) single PDF document as the system only allows to upload maximum one document.