1. Background
The Coronavirus disease outbreak has quickly grown from a localized issue in China, to a public health challenge in approximately two hundred countries and territories. The World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020, and the COVID-19 outbreak was characterized as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. The first case of coronavirus disease in Jamaica was confirmed on March 10, 2020.
Despite the global spread and breadth of cases, much remains unknown regarding the disease. This includes but is not limited to: (a) the proportion of pre-symptomatic individuals as well as asymptomatic cases in the population, (b) the spectrum of disease severity and risk factors for severe illness and death. (c) the level of co-infection, (d) the period of infectiousness and transmissibility, (e) the extent of viral shedding in the population, (f) the level of survival of the virus outside the body, (g) the efficacy of antiviral drugs and other treatments and (h) the validity of serological and other tests. The evaluation of the success of quarantine strategies and their acceptability will also be important. It will also be critical to evaluate the level of responsiveness of the health system to the outbreak, and assess the impact on the economy and on various sectors.
The Essential National Health Research Committee (ENHRC) of the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) has begun to formulate a National COVID-19 Research Agenda to provide data to guide the COVID-19 outbreak response.
The purpose of the COVID-19 Research Roadmap is to provide an integrated framework to guide the coordination, implementation and utilization of research pertaining to COVID-19 to inform the national response in the mitigation and/or management of the current outbreak and future activities.
The objectives of the National COVID-19 Research Agenda are to:
- Support the generation of evidence needed to strengthen clinical management, public health guidance and actions essential for mitigating the impact of COVID-19 disease on the population of Jamaica
- Determine the impact of COVID-19 on various sectors in Jamaica to provide information for action
- Coordinate efforts across Government, academia, the private sector, development partners and other stakeholders to optimize research efforts and outcomes in a whole-of-society response to producing data.
- Support the development of the research for health enterprise to be better prepared for the next emerging and re-emerging disease outbreak.
Research activities will be undertaken by six Research Working Groups and will include
implementation of three clinical trials, a case control study, a cohort study, a sero-epidemiological survey, two large household surveys, two large scale establishment surveys, a case study and a mixed method study, among other research activities. The Ministry of Health and Wellness seeks to identify a suitable candidate for the position of Project Coordinator to oversee implementation of selected research activities across different working groups.
2. Job purpose
To coordinate activities associated with the implementation of the National COVID-19 Research Agenda, LONG COVID Project. The Project Coordinator will manage the day to day field/research activities associated with implementation of this project, and is responsible for coordinating, monitoring and supporting implementation of research activities associated with the project.
3. Key Outputs
- Situational analysis report of the research readiness for enrollment and follow-up of cohort of participants with Long COVID.
- Frequency and clinical domicile for Long Covid Participants
- The human resource allocated for care of participants with Long Covid
- The IT infrastructure to facilitate synchronous and asynchronous acquisition and storage of cohort data
- The laboratory infrastructure to facilitate storage of biorepository specimens on site and transport to central storage site.
- Workplan of research activities based on protocol and situational analysis report.
- Progress reports on research activities
- Progress reports on field activities
- Preliminary analysis reports of survey data
- Final Technical Reports
4. Responsibilities of Project Coordinator
Monitor and support implementation of research project activities
- Monitor the implementation and progress of the research project according to approved objectives, plan of action and budget, and record progress; prepare a schedule for completion of the project in a systemic manner; ensure adherence to deadlines; Keep track of all stages of research projects by documenting and recording outcomes; identify challenges and suggest changes when needed
- Assist with the procurement of goods and equipment needed to conduct research studies.
- Assist in the development of training materials and training modules for field staff and study personnel
- In conjunction with the Principal Investigators, assist in the preparation of survey instruments
- Manage all field and project staff employed for the duration of the study
- Prepare progress reports on the proceedings of the project in adherence with Government of Jamaica and donor requirements when necessary
- Perform routine audits of data collected
- Provide updates on field/study activities at the following time-points:
- Completion of staff training
- Completion of data collection
- End of project
- Assist in the analysis of the survey data, and the writing of project reports and policy memos
- In conjunction with the Principal Investigators, ensure the submission of the following documents:
- Preliminary analysis report of survey data
- Final technical report on project
- Supervise the work of the Research Assistants and Project Administrator
Cooperation with counterparts
- Follow up on the implementation of research project activities with relevant parties
- Provide daily coordination between the research project team and counterparts, ensuring that concerns are effectively communicated between parties, flagging emerging issues that may be of potential concern to parties, and ensuring that effective and productive collaboration is maintained;
Dissemination of Findings
- Assist with the dissemination of project findings and other deliverables to relevant partners and stakeholders
- Organize activities relevant to the research project such as lectures, panel discussions and workshops; produce event summaries
5. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Health and Wellness
The Ministry of Health and Wellness will furnish the Project Coordinator with the relevant information and materials to facilitate completion of assigned tasks.
6. Reporting relationships
The Project Coordinator will have a direct reporting relationship to the Principal Medical Officer, National Epidemiologist (Chairperson, ENHRC). He / She will also interact with the Director, ERDAU, as well as members of the Essential National Health Research Committee (ENHRC) COVID-19 Research Working Groups. The Project Coordinator will supervise the Project Administrator as well as Research Assistants.
7. Key Deliverables
The deliverables under this consultancy are specified in the table below all documents submitted must be in conformance with the agreed format or templates to be specified and agreed on by the Ministry of Health
| No. | Deliverables / Milestone Activities | Performance Standard |
| 1 | Inception Report & Work plan | Inception report and work plan submitted in agreed format |
| 2 | Situational Analysis Report | Situational Report completed in agreed format and timeline |
| 3 | Procurement Plan | Procurement Plan completed in agreed format and timeline |
| 4 | Survey Plan (including survey instruments and budget) | Survey Plan completed in agreed format and timeline |
| 5 | Field Staff Training Report | Training Report completed in agreed format and timeline |
| 6 | Monthly Progress Report on Field Activities , data collection and data quality | Monthly Progress report submitted to the Principal Medical Officer, National Epidemiologist in the agreed format |
| 7 | Preliminary Report (Data Analysis) | Preliminary Report (Data Analysis) completed as per agreed format and timeframe |
| 8 | Final Technical Report | Final Technical Report completed as per agreed format and timeframe |
| 9 | End of Project Report | End of Project Report completed as per agreed format and timeframe |
8. Schedule of Payment
Payments for services will be specified in the contract.
9. Eligibility Requirements
The Project Coordinator should satisfy the following conditions:
- Have a Master’s Degree in Public Health/Epidemiology/Social Sciences/Statistics/Other science-related field
- Have a minimum of five years’ experience in the implementation and coordination of large research projects
- Have experience in project management
- Have experience in writing of project and scientific reports
- Demonstrate knowledge and experience of working in or with the public sector
10. Funding
Funding for the contracted service will be supported through the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Health.
11. Duration of Project
The duration of the Consultancy will be twenty-four months commencing November 2022.