Attacks on Healthcare and Assessment National Consultant – Health Cluster

Supervised by the Cluster Coordinator, the affiliate will:

1. Support the identification and verification of attacks on health care using the WHO SSA methodology. Review the Ministry of Health database to identify relevant incidents and enter verified cases into the WHO SSA database. Confirm incidents through calls with community key informants and credible online sources prior to validation.
2. Enhance the effectiveness of the humanitarian response by strengthening information management. This includes updating assessment mapping, conducting basic analysis, and sharing findings with relevant stakeholders.
3. Contribute regularly to reports and presentations documenting the scope and impact of attacks on health care. Provide summarized information based on verified incidents recorded in the SSA database.

4. Conduct ongoing media monitoring related to attacks on health care in Ukraine. 

   Review sources weekly to identify potential incidents for verification and entry into the WHO SSA database throughout the contract period.

5. Collect, verify, and report data on attacks on health care across Ukraine in line with established quality and verification standards.
6. Interview witnesses or individuals with direct knowledge whenever an attack on health care is identified through the Ministry of Health database or other reporting channels.
7. Manage data entry and organization activities. Maintain an Excel database of verified incidents and submit validated records to the WHO SSA platform in a timely manner.

Entering its fifth year in 2025, the war in Ukraine continues to generate widespread destruction and profound human suffering, with sustained and far-reaching consequences for the civilian population. Since the escalation of hostilities in February 2022, communities across the country (particularly those in frontline and adjacent oblasts) have experienced persistent insecurity, repeated displacement, and the progressive deterioration of essential services. Throughout 2025, a notable intensification of airstrikes and a rise in civilian casualties compared to 2024 have highlighted the ongoing severity of the conflict and its direct implications for population health and well-being.

Attacks on health care have emerged as one of the most critical and chronic challenges within this context. Between February 2022 and 25 January 2025, a total of 2,828 attacks against health care facilities, health personnel, patients, and medical transport were reported and verified through the World Health Organization’s Surveillance of Attacks on Health Care (SSA) system. These attacks have further strained an already overburdened health system, disrupting service delivery, constraining access to lifesaving care, and exacerbating the vulnerability of conflict-affected populations.
In response, WHO operates the SSA as a systematic mechanism for collecting, verifying, and classifying reports of attacks on health care, drawing on alerts from multiple credible sources. The evidence generated through this process plays a critical role in reinforcing advocacy and legal protection efforts for health care in conflict settings. Moreover, it provides an empirical foundation for promoting best practices to prevent attacks, reduce associated risks, and mitigate their humanitarian and public health consequences.

From the early stages of the 2022 escalation, significant information gaps were identified as a major impediment to effective response planning. These gaps hindered humanitarian actors' ability to assess evolving health needs, prioritize interventions, and design evidence-based responses. In line with its mandate, WHO has therefore continued to maintain and update the SSA database, ensuring that verified information is publicly accessible to support transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making.

Within the humanitarian coordination architecture, data collection, verification, and consolidation are also core responsibilities of the Health Cluster. These functions facilitate the synthesis and dissemination of critical information to partners, guiding operational planning and response actions while contributing to broader public health information systems.
In an environment characterized by increased attacks and rapid change, maintaining a centralized, timely, and reliable information management system remains essential. Regular verification, encoding, analysis, and dissemination of findings for advocacy remains important as a key function of WHO with the support of the Health Cluster.

1. Maintain ongoing surveillance and verification of attacks on health care in line with the WHO Surveillance of Attacks on Health Care (SSA) methodology, with regular updates to the Ukraine SSA database. Verified incidents will be uploaded weekly, with a minimum target of 80 verified attacks (including newly reported and previously pending cases) completed by the end of each week from July through December 2026.
2. Record and update all newly conducted health-related assessments carried out by partners or other relevant actors into the Health Cluster Assessment Tracker. Each entry will include a concise summary of key findings, with monthly reporting on the total number of assessments encoded from July to Dec 2026.
3. Synthesize and present priority findings from health-related assessments for dissemination during Health Cluster meetings. A consolidated PowerPoint presentation highlighting key trends and implications will be prepared and delivered on a monthly basis for each of the months of July, August, Sept, November and Dec 2026.
4. Produce updated internal analytical report on attacks against health care for Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 of 2026, as well as on an ad hoc basis when required. These analyses will be compiled in slide format for inclusion in key presentations planned by WHO and Health Cluster in the second half of 2026.
5. Ensure the Health Cluster Assessment Tracker is updated on a weekly basis from July to August 2026, incorporating newly available assessments and concise analytical summaries to support real-time situational awareness.
6. Contribute technical and analytical inputs to written information products, including bi-weekly ad hoc infographics focused on attacks on health care and medical evacuations. Support may include content development, technical review, or visual design, with a minimum bi-weekly production maintained from July to December 2026.
7. Redact meeting minutes for all internal meetings (two every week) with action points and uploading to the Cluster SharePoint.

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: Bachelor’s degree in health, social studies, political science and policies or other related field.

Experience: 

Essential: At least two years of professional experience with primary care, health policy, quality of care or related, understanding of health reforms in Ukraine.
Desirable: Previous collaboration with WHO/UN/international or national organization engaged with health-related issues, primary care center. Experience of working with governmental institutions (Ministry of Health, etc.) or corporations/agencies, NGOs engaged with health-related matters in Ukraine. Experience working in primary care center, universities or related on health.

Skills/Knowledge: 

Essential: Knowledge of health system transformation in Ukraine (especially related to PHC); strong communication skills; strong management and leadership skills; IT skills (MS Office). Good understanding of health policy, health management, health information systems in Ukraine. 
Desirable:Strong interest in primary health care, family medicine, quality of care, NCDs. Ability to work in a collaborative manner in rapidly changing environment.

Languages and level required:

Essential: Excellent knowledge of Ukrainian. High proficiency of English (essential)

On-site: Kyiv duty station

No travel is anticipated

Contract total value: USD 19,092.00
Monthly rate, daily rate and numbers of the days: USD 160 per day, USD 3,182.00 per month, 20 working days per month
Consultant pay band range: NOB
Terms of payment: the payment will be on a monthly basis after provision of Technical Report and approval from Responsible Office.

Target Start Date: July 1, 2026
Target end date: December 31, 2026
Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 6 months, 120 days

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