The Ad Hoc Regional Green Light Committee of the Americas
and the Pan American Health Organization
Announce

a Call for Applications to the Regional Green Light Committee (rGLC)
of the Americas 2013-2015

Application deadline: 30 November 2012
Results of the selection process to be announced on 15 January 2013

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Background:  In response to the need to expand the programmatic management of drug resistant TB (PMDT), a decision was made at the 20th Stop TB Partnership Coordinating Board meeting (31 March to 1 April 2011) to decentralize the Global Green Light Committee to the regions. To this end, during the meeting of regional experts on drug-resistant tuberculosis in the Region of the Americas (held in Guatemala on 23 April 2011), the steps involved in forming the regional Green Light Committee (rGLC) were discussed. As part of this process, a transitional ad hoc rGLC was formed, whose role was to structure, organize, and launch the rGLC for the Americas. MDR-TB experts in the Region were directly invited to participate. The ad hoc rGLC consisted of seven experts, one civil society representative, and two heads of national TB control programs, as observers. It was decided that the ad hoc rGLC would operate from 1 July 2011 until the launch of the rGLC for the Americas, which will be made up of members selected through an open call for applications.

The rGLC will serve as an advisory committee to the PAHO/WHO Regional Tuberculosis Program, Member States of the Region, partners, and donors. PAHO, the Regional Office of the Americas for the World Health Organization in Washington D.C., will serve as its Secretariat. 

PAHO/WHO Regional Tuberculosis Program and ad hoc rGLC for the Americas calls on professionals and civil society representatives interested in serving as members of the rGLC for the Region of the Americas to submit their applications.

Term of office:
Two years, from 15 January 2013 through 14 January 2015, renewable for a two-year period

Experience:
Minimum of 5 years.

Availability:
Availability to travel as needed by the rGLC (experts to be consulted in advance by the rGLC)

Skills and experience:
Applicants should be an expert in one of the following areas of clinical PMDT, as supported by their curriculum vitae:

• Clinical management of TB and drug-resistant TB
• Programmatic management of TB and drug-resistant TB
• Additional experience in social support to patients, information systems, or nursing
• Expert in TB or drug-resistant TB Laboratory 
• Expert in infection control
• Civil society representative  with experience in advocacy and social mobilization

Languages:

Spanish and/or another official language of the Region: Portuguese, English, and French (note: meetings will be conducted in Spanish).

Compensation:

The work is unpaid. Airfare and per diem will be paid for activities requiring travel to other countries.

At the end of the period of service, a certificate of work carried out will be issued. 

As part of the committee’s activities, a minimum of two on-site meetings and four teleconferences will be held.
  

How to Apply:

Interested individuals are invited to send their curriculum vitae and a cover letter to the Secretariat of the rGLC for the Americas ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) indicating the reason for their interest in serving on the rGLC and their availability, demonstrating that they meet the selection criteria.

A committee of TB experts will be in charge of selecting the candidates for the rGLC, whose names will be submitted to PAHO/WHO by the ad hoc rGLC for approval.
 
Terms of reference: Members of the rGLC shall be capable of:

• Providing technical assistance for periodic updating and implementation of the Regional Plan for Expansion of the Programmatic Management of D/M/XDR-TB, based on a review of reports and consolidated results from the monitoring and evaluation of management of drug-resistant TB in the Region. 
• Providing technical assistance to the Regional Tuberculosis Program and partners on strategies and action plans for expanding the PMDT in the Region of the Americas. 
• Supporting the development of PAHO/WHO drug-resistant TB control policies through the exchange or presentation of proposals (at on-site and virtual meetings).
• Contributing to periodic updating of the evidence base and WHO policy and guidelines on drug-resistant TB, including the rapid implementation of new tools for improving PMDT. 
• Supporting the advocacy efforts of the Regional Tuberculosis Program to heighten the political commitment of countries, donors, and technical assistance agencies so as to increase funding to ensure universal access to treatment for drug-resistant TB following WHO guidelines. 
• Supporting countries in finalizing national treatment plans for drug-resistant TB and obtaining their approval by the national health authorities; monitoring and evaluating the implementation and/or expansion of the plans; and evaluating compliance with PAHO/WHO technical guidelines. 
• Promoting and facilitating orderly, controlled access to second-line tuberculosis medicines and supplies in the countries through the PAHO/WHO Strategic Fund mechanism or the Global Drug Facility under the standards set in rGLC Resolution 002 of 2012. 
• Issuing recommendations to the national tuberculosis programs on comprehensive, patient-centered clinical PMDT, following WHO guidelines tailored to the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), without neglecting care for sensitive cases. 
• Helping to train new experts in drug-resistant TB in the LAC Region. 
• Reviewing the reports from monitoring and evaluation missions, plans for expanding PMDT, and management guides or regulations, and identifying technical assistance need.

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