State Facilitator

Overview of position

• The Nigeria government through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) using its Primary Health Care (PHC) resources has consistently implemented EPI as a strategy to prevent child mortality, improve immunization coverage. In addition, our client in Nigeria is assisting the national efforts through developing strategies focused on Zero Doses (ZD’s) & under immunized in 200 LGAs across 30 states & FCT to ensure 65% of the children are reached & vaccinated during the Big Catch Up (BCU) activities. To restore & strengthen delivery of priority services in ensuring well functional immunization program including identifying ZD communities, scaling up childhood immunization & strengthening primary health care for the delivery of integrated immunization & essential health services. Moreover, to improve the population immunity against vaccines preventable diseases in the country, our client is supporting the government of Nigeria through the Identify Enumerate & Vaccinate (IEV) strategy operationalization in conducting the (BCU)..
• In order to assist the NPHCDA through support from sub national levels & the state health authorities for operationalizing the (BCU) for ZD communities & under immunization our client through CTG will recruit six consultants. The consultant will work under the supervision of the Health Specialist & the Health Manager for Immunization, SBC Specialist in our clients Nigeria country office, with extending supports to our clients Field Office (FO) (Health & SBC) & state health authorities.

Role objectives

Main responsibilities & tasks include but are not limited to:

• BCU strategies and implementation: The consultants will provide technical support to the state BCU strategies, interventions & monitoring reports & develop an implementation plan to address challenges & bottlenecks identified to ensure eligible children are identified & reached with required vaccines. The aim of the documents reviews & analysis is to ensure there is clear guidance on how to provide missed doses of vaccinations.
• Development of knowledge management products: The consultants are to support in the documentation, case studies on strategies for BCU & efforts for continuously implementing catch up vaccination as part of a whole system approach along the life course.

Specifically, the consultants will support sub-national levels:

• Micro planning & analysis of the developed plan for the states in implementing the BCU in all priority LGAs.
• Finalization of the BCU micro-plan in association with the SPHCDA & partners.
• Analyzing approaches, challenges & bottlenecks for planning, identification & reporting on ZD / under immunized children conducted.
• In close collaboration with LGA Health Education Officer, support development, implementation & monitoring of LGA specific evidence based SBC plans.
• Ensure capacity building, community engagement, social mobilization & specific contextualized behaviour change interventions are conducted, with special focus on underserved & hard to reach communities.
• Support training at the sub national level that cover best practices for implementation of BCU, recording & reporting catch up doses, adapted to different healthcare settings & context.
• Support the VSLs in the development of quality vaccines & devices distribution plan including data tools & waste management plan to the LGA & ward level.
• Support the SPHCB & SBC Consultant to ensure ACSM activities are conducted as plan at the state, LGAs & ward levels in the prioritized LGAs.
• Strengthen partnership with relevant stakeholders at the sub national level on immunization & PHC activities.
• Ensure accurate daily data tools are being used & reporting procedure are followed by wards, LGA & state to the national throughout the catch up implementation.
• Follow up with the states in ensuring children vaccinated during implementation are recorded, reported & harmonize into the DHIS2.
• Support the states to mapped out the strategy for implementation & monitored the implementation process in ensuring all ZD / under immunized children of the targeted age groups & missed communities are reached & vaccinated.
• Provide technical support to states to strengthen health care workforces, improve health service delivery, build trust & demand for vaccines within communities & address gaps & obstacles to restoring immunization.
• Support states to develop restore & strengthen strategy plan in ensuring adequate access of the community to quality health care & other PHC services including immunization services.
• Analysis of BCU vaccine demand, track vaccine stocks at national & sub national levels, liaise with NPHCDA & NSCS to make adequate availability of BCU vaccines at sub national levels (applicable for vaccine management consultant).

Deliverables:

• Technical guidance to the State & LGA Health Managers in developing micro planning for implementing the BCU & operationalize IEV in all priority LGAs across 30 states & FCT.
• Analyses of ZD’s & under immunize children in all the prioritized LGAs & share with the FO & National Country Office (NCO).
• Mapping & planning for the community engagement strategy for the states to reach the eligible ZD children.
• Guide & facilitate the State / LGA / Ward Health Educators / Focal Person for implementing the contextualized LGA / ward specific community engagement activities.
• Documenting lessons learnt in monitoring the big catch implementation using ODK & GTS tracker.
• Assist our clients FO & NCO to collect & collate BCU beneficiary data (to be paid through our client).
• Support coordination of training of health care workers at the state, LGA & ward level on BCU micro planning & operationalization in association with the SPHCDA & partners.
• Finalization of the ZD / under immunized children vaccinated are recorded & reported into the appropriate tools & transmitted to the FOs & NCO.
• Monthly & field mission reports with findings of data collection, good practice & sustainability.
• Vaccine accountability & waste management report are generated & share with the FOs & NCO.
• Institutionalize / share best practices & knowledge learned / products with global / local partners & stakeholders to build capacity of practitioners / users & disseminate products to key audiences including partners & donors
• Analysis of state BCU vaccine demand & timely availability of BCU vaccine at sub national levels.
• Final comprehensive report on the assignment developed & presented after each round of the BCU.

Project reporting

• Health Specialist and the Health Manager for Immunization, SBC Specialist

Key competencies

• University degree in nursing, pharmacy, medicine, health economics, public health, health policy & management, social or behavioral science or any other related fields is required.
• Fluency in English is required & knowledge of any of the three major Nigerian languages is an added advantage.
• A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in immunization program planning, public health, epidemiology & disease control, MCH & community engagement, SBC / RCCE, vaccine & logistic management, accountability to affected populations or another related area is required.
• Emergency response experience is required.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Ability to work strategically to realize organizational goals, develop strategies & set clear visions.
• Ability to persuade & influence, negotiate to obtain agreement & promote ideas.
• Ability to network & establish good relations with staff, partners & government.
• Proven experience in capacity development & skills in effectively packaging & related data & results.

Team management

• This role has no team management responsibility.

Further information

• Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply for this role.