Disease X Strategy Volunteers

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Disease X Strategy volunteer Role Description

From Ebola to swine flu to HIV/Aids, viruses borne by animals have caused some of the most devastating epidemics in history. What will come next? Africa Health Organisation (AHO) is inviting scientists to work to find Disease X - a virus that is yet undiscovered but could have the potential to ravage populations.

Health authorities worldwide are still weighing the lessons learned from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and trying to determine the best way to prevent a new one.

Many researchers have started referring to the next agent to cause mass illness around the world as "Disease X". A 2022 statement from the World Health Organization (WHO), defines the term this way: "Disease X is [used] to indicate an unknown pathogen that could cause a serious international epidemic."

Given what the world experienced when COVID-19 emerged, infectious disease experts and scientists must continually monitor new threats. AHO invites experts and scientists to help prepare for the next Disease X.

Duties and Responsibilities

You will take part in the following strategies in preparation for Disease X.

• Prepare for the Disease X strategy for Africa and the world.
• Develop surveillance tools and systems for epidemics and pandemics.
• Provide technical advice and guidance to governments and health institutions.
• Provide guidance and advice on preparing for Disease X.
• Writing articles and documents related to Disease X for publications in journals and online presence advice on steps to reduce the risk of spillover and the consequent introduction and spread of a new disease in humans;
• Advice on measures to improve disease surveillance in humans and animals to detect and sequence infectious agents rapidly;
• Strengthening research programs to shorten the time lag between the development and production of medical countermeasures;
• Rapid implementation of pharmaceutical (e.g. vaccination) and non-pharmaceutical measures to contain a large-scale epidemic;
• Develop Africa protocols to ensure fair distribution and global coverage of drugs and vaccines.

What are we looking for?

Person specification

Education, Skills and Experience- essential

• Master's degree in medicine, public health, global health, criminology, sociology, psychology, engineering, mathematics, biostatistics, biology, biochemistry, physics, chemistry, environmental science, biochemistry, microbiology, nursing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), dentistry, social sciences, epidemiology, sciences, etc AND 1+ year of professional experience conducting medical and health research at a university, think tank, charity or consultancy.
• Studying a doctoral degree (PhD) or equivalent in medicine, public health, global health, criminology, health and social care, sociology, psychology, engineering, mathematics, biostatistics, biology, chemistry, sciences or equivalent subject that is related to medical and health doctoral degree, or sciences and social sciences;
• Experience in designing quantitative research tools.
• Experience in quantitative and statistical data analysis, including large existing data sets, using Excel and/or SPSS.
• Experience in designing qualitative research tools.
• Experience in conducting and organising qualitative fieldwork.
• Experience in conducting qualitative analysis using Excel, Word and/or NVivo
• Experience having conducted robust desktop research and knowledge of various methodologies for doing this.
• Evidence of ability to grasp complex concepts and debates quickly and to engage with these effectively through research.
• Ability to communicate effectively - in writing and person - about research findings to a range of audiences
• Evidence of having delivered or contributed to the delivery of high-quality social research outputs.
• Ability to speak one of Africa's widely spoken languages would be an added advantage e.g. Afrikaans, Amharic, Arabic, Bemba, Berber, Chewa, Chinese, Dinka, English, French, Fula, Fulani, German, Greek, Hausa, Hindi, Igbo, Italian, Japanese, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Kongo, Korean, Lingala, Malagasy, Mandinka, Nambia, Ndebele, Nyanja, Oromo, Portuguese, Russian, Sango, Sesotho, Shona, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Swati, Thai, Tigrinya, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Vietnamese, Xhosa, Yoruba, Zulu, etc,
• This is a virtual role. You can apply from any part of the world.
• This is a volunteer role and not paid or salaried. Do not apply if you want a paid job or plan to negotiate a pay deal with AHO.

This role is open to anyone with or studying for a PhD or equivalent from across the world at an approved research institute, think tank, charity, or university globally.

VOLUNTEERING IS NOT A PAID JOB.

ALL our Volunteer Opportunities are not paid or salaried. Do not apply if you want a paid job or plan to negotiate a pay deal with us. Volunteering allows people to give their time for free to society while gaining the experience they need when applying for future paid jobs.