Community Contact Tracers - Ebola Virus Disease

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) was established in 1951, and its mission is to help ensure the orderly and humane management of migration, to promote international cooperation on migration issues, to assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need. IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits both migrants and society in general. As the United Nations Migration Agency, IOM works with its partners to assist in meeting the growing operational challenges of migration, advance understanding of migration issues, encourage social and economic development through migration, and uphold the wellbeing and human rights of migrants. The IOM constitution gives explicit recognition to the link between migration and economic, social and cultural development, as well as to the principle of freedom of movement of persons. IOM has 174 Member States, eight countries holding Observer Status, and offices in more than 100 countries. Uganda became a member state of IOM in 1984, and the IOM Uganda office was opened in 1988. Its decades of operation in the country have been characterized by rapid growth of staff and scope of work – in light of aiding humane and orderly migration, sphere of influence, partnership networks and impact on various migration and mobility dimensions in the country. IOM Uganda emphasizes its extensive experience in empowering governments and communities to prevent, detect and respond to health threats along the mobility continuum, while advocating for migrant-inclusive approaches that minimize stigma and discrimination.

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations, and as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non- governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants. IOM is committed to a diverse and inclusive environment. The Migration Health Division in IOM Uganda is currently scaling up its contribution towards Ebola response under the “Strengthening Capacities to Effectively Manage Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) at Vulnerable Points of Entry and Border Communities in Uganda with a strong focus on the points of entry and border districts with DRC with the following scope: Expansion into Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and community surveillance - Community based disease surveillance (CBDS): scale CBDS training across 18 high risk districts to reach targeted proportions of VHTs/CHEWs, equipping them for active case finding, event based detection and timely reporting. - RCCE programming: deliver targeted risk communication campaigns (community dialogues, market and transit outreach, Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) distribution, radio messaging) tailored to local languages and contexts to increase awareness, reduce stigma and promote care seeking. - Community facility linkages: strengthen referral pathways by coordinating VHT referrals with district rapid response teams and ambulance/fuel support, ensuring suspected cases detected in communities are rapidly triaged and transported. - Protection and accountability: mainstream Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA), Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) and community feedback/complaint mechanisms into RCCE and CBDS activities to maintain safe, dignified and ethical engagement. - Capacity building and sustainability: train trainers and provide reference materials and on the job mentorship so CBDS and RCCE capacities are absorbed into district health systems.

The Community Contact Tracers - EVD will be based in the areas of Kisoro, Kasese, Nebbi ,Arua and Bundibugyo (Ntoroko and Busunga) and will be responsible with the following: - Conduct targeted risk communication activities (household visits, community dialogues, market and transit point outreach, radio messaging support) to raise awareness on EVD signs, prevention, safe care seeking and anti stigma messaging. - Disseminate standardized IEC materials and ensure messages are adapted to local language and context.