The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) invites interested and eligible candidates to submit applications for a grant programme to improve the management of public health emergencies in Africa within the framework of the COVID-19 Incident Management Support Team (IMST).

Description of the Brotherhood

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose a challenge for health systems, particularly in Africa. Each new increase in cases and deaths stresses an already overworked and overstretched workforce, strains resources and negatively affects healthcare operations on the continent. The uncertain duration of the pandemic means that health communities must offer opportunities for stability and growth to the health workforce as it adapts to the ongoing situation. Health leadership is essential to ensure continuity of operations based on effective decision-making and improved response operations.

However, the gap between emergencies and public health management skills, leadership, policy and research has become increasingly evident during the pandemic.

Having well-prepared public health managers with the necessary skills to manage any pandemic is therefore key to implementing a new public health order that will prepare member states to promptly detect and effectively respond to public health threats.

Through a three-month fellowship programme, WHO AFRO seeks to support 15 aspiring master's students, doctoral fellows and emergency public health managers and leaders (Fellows) in Africa in acquiring advanced skills and competencies to create strategies, manage and lead health programmes that will positively transform the future emergency public health response on the continent.

The fellowship programme seeks to fill the emergency public health management and research-to-policy gaps and produce versatile and well-equipped managers and leaders, as required by the WHO Emergency Response Framework and the International Health Regulations (2005) for emergency response. In addition, it seeks to navigate the complex environment of public health practice to achieve and sustain a positive impact on health, policy, negotiation, partnerships and health diplomacy.

The fellowship will adopt a hybrid approach, combining face-to-face engagements with technology-based activities, in line with the WHO's flagship Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) programme, which aims to strengthen and expand the quality and scope of public health emergency management in Africa over the next five years.

Number of grants to be awarded

Fifteen grants will be awarded:

• Five master's students;
• Five PhD students;
• Five mid-level and senior public health specialists.

Eligibility criteria

To qualify, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Be a citizen of any WHO Member State working on COVID-19, with priority given to citizens of Member States of the WHO African Region.
• Be registered on a master's programme (master's scholarship holders).
• Be registered in a doctoral programme (PhD/DPhil Fellows).
• Be a full-time employee (in the public/private or academic sector) with a master's degree or qualification in public health or a doctorate (mid-level or senior career fellows).
• Have professional experience in public health (One Health, medicine, health financing, health economics, health policy, animal health, social sciences and environmental health).
• Have relevant experience that has contributed to the advancement of public health emergency management in Africa.
• Demonstrate potential for effective public health management that can positively impact the health outcomes of populations.

- Develop a viable proposal that addresses the strategic challenges for improving the management of public health emergencies on the continent.

How to apply

• Candidates must fulfil the following requirements:
• A recent CV
• Confirmation of enrolment at an academic institution (for master's and doctoral scholarship holders)
• Letter of employment (mid-level and senior specialists)
• A 500-word motivation statement for master's students describing their objectives and plans for the scholarship.
• A proposal of 2000 to 3000 words for all candidates (master's, doctoral and mid/senior level specialists) describing the proposed project with the following section:
  • Introduction of the research subject
  • Relevance and pertinence of the subject
  • A brief review of the literature on the subject
  • Objectives
  • Research and activity plan
  • Potential use of research results
  • Conclusion

Delivery time

Applications must be submitted by: 13 November 2022: EMAIL:  whoafrofellowship@who.int

Benefits of the scholarship

OMS AFRO will provide financial support to scholarship holders to cover tuition and research fees.