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For every child, health
BACKGROUND :
The mission and goal of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) program in Guinea-Bissau is to contribute to the overall realization of the National Health Development Plan (PNDS) by reducing morbidity, mortality and disability due to vaccine preventable diseases and to ensure all children and high-risk group are fully vaccinated with high quality and effective vaccines against vaccine preventable diseases as per national and global standards. To achieve these goals, routine immunization services for children and pregnant women are provided through static, outreach and mobile sites and occasional special acceleration campaigns.
Immunization is the most widely accessed and successful child health intervention in use today in Guinea Bissau. But immunization coverage has stagnated at 88% of DPT3 over the last five years (WUENIC 2019), which is probably related to the general instability context resulting in the erosion of public services and systems. Also, these relative high rates mask inequities at the subnational level. At subnational level, 3 out of 11 regions has the DTP3 coverage less than 80 per cent in 2020. Around 8,000 children remained unvaccinated in Guinea-Bissau during 2019, more in 2020 with the COVID-19 context. More than 60% of those unvaccinated children are living in urban area, principally in the capital Bissau.
The study on equity in immunization conducted in 2017 showed that the major bottlenecks to immunization are: geographical access; continuity in use; quality of services, except for Bissau where the issues are quite different, more related to human resources capacity and economic activities of mothers. The study also helped identify underserved communities in each region for which specific efforts must be undertaken to reach every child. Major challenges remain in terms of insufficient allocation of human resources, coordination, outreach strategies, cold chain management and data collection.
Strategies to reach unvaccinated children have been developed and are being implemented.
To improve the amount, quality and use of available immunization data, Gavi launched and is implemented with country partners a strategic focus area for data that address three key areas :
- Immunization delivery, coverage and equity: strengthening the quality of immunization coverage data to help address bottlenecks ;
- Vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) surveillance: helping countries to strengthen their surveillance systems and use disease data to target and improve immunization programmes. VPD surveillance systems are also a vital part of ensuring global health security and outbreak preparedness ;
- Vaccine safety surveillance and response: establishing and improving data systems to detect adverse events and implement effective response and communication strategies.
Through their assistance, Vaccine Alliance partners are supporting new ways to use data to inform immunization programmes. This includes the production of various immunization coverage and equity analyses as well as targeted support for data improvement plans.
UNICEF is at the forefront of supporting the MOH in immunization data management, ensuring that all children are equitably reached, and would like to recruit three experienced national consultants to provide a technical insight to the country’s immunization team at national and regional level in this area, especially targeting the regions with low coverage.
Click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Guinea Bissau: https://www.unicef.org/guineabissau
OBJECTIVE :
The purpose of the consultancy is to provide technical support to EPI through Guinea-Bissau CO to improve routine immunization data and the immunization coverage using various strategies.
DELIVERABLES AND TASKS :
- Routine immunization data quality improvement :
- Support the MoH in the improvement of routine immunization data completeness and promptitude trough DHIS2 monthly monitoring and reporting ;
- Support the EPI Department and the Health Region in the correction of errors identified in the DHIS2 reporting through support/ follow-up visits ;
- Support the organization of a training workshop at the regional level and health area level on routine immunization data collection and analysis ;
- Support the MoH/EPI Department in the facilitation of the training of data managers in 11 health regions on the utilization of the DHIS2 and other revised management tools
- Support the organization of the quarterly workshops of the EPI focal points for routine immunization data monitoring and disease surveillance ;
- Support the MoH/EPI Department in organization of DQS and elaboration of the data improvement plan.
- Routine immunization activities and equity (fixed, advanced and mobile strategies), supervision and surveillance of EPI target diseases :
- Support the Regional EPI focal point in monthly routine vaccination data analysis including identification of bottlenecks and provide feedback to the regions under its tutelage ;
- Support regions in the elaboration of appropriate action to improve routine coverage ;
- Elaborate monthly report on the routine coverage for the regions under its tutelage ;
- Support the implementation of Programme of Intensification of Routine Immunization in Health Areas with low coverage (<80%) and ensure a follow up of data ;
- Support elaboration and/or revision of regional micro plan, including outreach activities and introduction of new vaccines.
- Support the MoH/EPI to collect and analyze COVID-19 data.
REMUNERATION : the payment will be done at monthly basis.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education : Advanced University degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Social Sciences, Medicine, Health, Public Health, Family Health, Child Development, Nursing, or a field relevant to international development assistance in Immunization and Child Survival & Health Care. Background/familiarity with Emergency.
Work Experience :
- Two years of relevant professional work experience ;
- Field work experience ;
- Training and experience Immunization/health care ;
- Experience in knowledge management.
Language requirements : Fluency in Portuguese and English or French is required. Knowledge of Creole is considered as an asset.
HOW TO APPLY & CONDITIONS OF WORK
As a general rule, the fees payable to a consultant must follow the principle of best value (obtain the desired result at the lowest possible cost). Consultants are therefore required to indicate their fees for the services to be provided (financial proposal).
For the applications, candidates are invited to indicate their preference city (Bafata or Oio) :
- One Consultant will be based in Bafata with field monitoring visits in the region and in Gabu ;
- One Consultant will be based in Oio with field monitoring missions in the region and in Cacheu and the third in Quinara with field monitoring visits in the region and in Tombali.
The field monitoring visits will be done based on the agreed work plan using UNICEF arranged transport in accordance with the relevant regulations. The consultant will use his own computer but could have access to UNICEF’s IT infrastructures if he comes to UNICEF’s office ((printers, photocopiers, scanner and Internet).
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
View our competency framework at UNICEF_Competencies.pdf
Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Remarks :
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.