The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of the International Commission for the Certification of Dracunculiasis Eradication (ICCDE). This “Call for Experts” notice provides information about ICCDE, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.
Background
ICCDE is the independent advisory body to WHO for matters related to the certification of eradication of dracunculiasis, commonly known as Guinea-worm disease. On the basis of country reports and reports prepared by International Certification Teams, ICCDE makes recommendations to the Director-General of WHO as to whether a country is eligible for certification of interruption of transmission of dracunculiasis. It was first convened in 1996.
Functions of ICCDE
In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, ICCDE has the following functions:
- To provide independent evaluation of the scientific, technical and strategic aspects of the certification of dracunculiasis eradication, including:
- a. Revising, as necessary, the criteria and certification procedures to fit the evolving epidemiological context of dracunculiasis;
- b. Upon WHO’s request, conducting field visits to dracunculiasis-affected countries to assess progress;
- To advise WHO, including recommending priorities within WHO, on matters pertaining to the certification of dracunculiasis eradication.
- To review countries’, areas’ and territories’ requests for certification and make recommendations to WHO on whether to certify countries, areas and territories as free of dracunculiasis transmission.
ICCDE’s Terms of Reference are here.
Operations of ICCDE
ICCDE shall normally meet at least once each year. However, WHO may convene additional meetings. ICCDE meetings may be held in person (at WHO headquarters in Geneva or another location, as determined by WHO) or virtually, via video or teleconference, or via emails and review of documents.
The working language of ICCDE is English.
Who can express interest?
ICCDE is multidisciplinary, with members having a range of technical knowledge sets, skills and experience relevant to dracunculiasis and of the challenges faced by programmes and partners within the context of health systems in Guinea-worm-endemic countries.
It has up to 12 members.
WHO welcomes expressions of interest from individuals with knowledge, skills and experience in:
- Dracunculiasis
- Health policy
- One health
- Vector control
- Water and sanitation
- Environmental surveillance
- Health systems and programme delivery
Submitting your expression of interest
To register your interest in being considered for ICCDE, please submit the following documents by 23:59 Geneva (Central European) time on 8 May 2026 to malonzoa@who.int using the subject line “Expression of interest for ICCDE”.
- A cover letter, indicating your motivation to apply and briefly outlining your relevant knowledge, skills and experience. Please note that, if selected, membership will be in a personal capacity. Therefore, do not use the letterhead or other identification of your employer);
- Your curriculum vitae; and
- A signed and completed Declaration of Interests (DOI) form for WHO Experts, available at https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest.
After submission, your expression of interest will be reviewed by WHO. Due to an expected high volume of interest, only selected individuals will be informed.
Important information about the selection processes and conditions of appointment
Members of WHO advisory groups (AGs) must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest. To this end, applicants are required to complete the WHO Declaration of Interests for WHO Experts, and the selection as a member of an AG is, amongst other things, dependent on WHO determining that there is no conflict of interest or that any identified conflicts could be appropriately managed (in addition to WHO’s evaluation of an applicant’s experience, expertise and motivation and other criteria).
All AG members serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments, any commercial industries or entities, any research, academic or civil society organizations, or any other bodies, entities, institutions or organizations. They are expected to fully comply with the Code of Conduct for WHO Experts (https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest). AG members are expected to sign and return a completed confidentiality undertaking prior to the beginning of the first meeting.
At any point during the selection process, telephone interviews may be scheduled between an applicant and the WHO Secretariat to enable WHO to ask questions relating to the applicant’s experience and expertise and/or to assess whether the applicant meets the criteria for membership in the relevant AG.
The selection of members of the AG will be made by WHO in its sole discretion, taking into account the following (non-exclusive) criteria: relevant technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; communication skills; and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations. The selection of AG members will also take account of the need for diverse perspectives from different regions, especially from low and middle-income countries, and for gender balance.
If selected by WHO, proposed members are sent an invitation letter and a Memorandum of Agreement. Appointment as a member of an AG is subject to the proposed member returning to WHO the countersigned copy of these two documents.
WHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for WHO's action. WHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the AG, disband an existing AG or modify the work of the AG.
WHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.
WHO may publish the names and a short biography of the selected individuals on the WHO internet.
AG members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the AG or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of AG members to participate in AG meetings will be covered by WHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules and procedures.
The appointment will be limited in time as indicated in the letter of appointment.
If you have any questions about this “Call for experts”, please write to malonzoa@who.int well before the applicable deadline