Support the Expanded Immunization Programme (EPI) in Eswatini, Mbabane, 5 months (Remote/Work from home)

UNICEF Eswatini is looking for a consultant to support in ensuring that MOH EPI Unit has in place an effective system for planning, managing, distribute and monitor the vaccines (COVID-19, routine immunization, polio and HPV) in the country to reach all children and adolescents with immunization and new vaccines

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

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For every child, Health 

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

UNICEF is supporting Eswatini in achieving their national immunization goals reaching all zero doses and under-immunized children, including for the newly introduced HPV vaccine. The achievement of these goals depends on having strong EPI programme including Immunization Supply Chains Management (iSCM) systems in place. The objectives are to achieve adequate supply for every immunization session without temperature damage and at the lowest possible cost per fully immunized child. Therefore, an effective vaccine management and a supply chain in general and in cold chain management remain vital for rapidly deploying vaccines in existing and new vaccination sites as well as vaccinating most vulnerable target groups. Hence, UNICEF Eswatini is seeking assistance of an international consultant to support the Ministry of Health (MOH) Expanded Immunization Programme (EPI) Unit to strengthen the immunization management and scale up, with a focus on HPV vaccination, to improve vaccination coverage and equity to reach the zero doses and under-immunized children.

Scope of Work:

The overall objective of this consultancy is to ensure that MOH EPI Unit has in place an effective system for planning, managing, distribute and monitor the vaccines (COVID-19, routine immunization, polio and HPV) in the country to reach all children and adolescents with immunization and new vaccines.

More specifically this review and engagement aims:

1. Conduct a rapid assessment of status of the implementation of the recommendation on strengthening the vaccine system guide the MOH in strengthen and apply those recommendations.
2. Develop a strategy on how to reach the zero dose and under-vaccinated children including how to scale up HPV vaccination including recommendation from the outreach study.
3. Support MOH EPI in work closely with school health unit and HPU unit to put in place a yearly plan and strategy for vaccination campaigns including awareness pre-vaccination campaign.
4. Support the CCVM consultant to improve the cold chain management and vaccine flow through training on vaccine management practices, update vaccine stock management tools, operating procedures, and any other tool related to vaccines.
5. Provide technical advice and guidance to the 4 regions on revision of the regional microplanning (cold chain capacity, transport, supplies) and put in place a monitoring implementation plan based on the newly developed GIS strategy and GIS regional microplanning.
6. Provide timely and quality contributions in the update and implementation of the immunization strategies and COVID-19 integration in PHC framework through participation and collaboration with internal and external partnership.

If Extension, Justification for extension: Work Assignment Overview Tasks/Milestone: Deliverables/Outputs: Timeline Estimate Budget (USD) Develop an inception report with the workplan to support the MOH EPI Unit in the below deliverables. Inception report Week 1   Conduct a rapid assessment of status of the implementation of the recommendation on strengthening the vaccine system guide the MOH in strengthen and apply those recommendations. Report on updated recommendations Week 2   Develop a strategy on how to reach the zero dose and under-vaccinated children including how to scale up HPV vaccination, including recommendation from the outreach study to reactivate the outreaches. Strategy report Week 3 10% Provide technical advice and guidance to the 4 regions on revision of the regional microplanning (cold chain capacity, transport, supplies) and put in place a monitoring implementation plan based on the newly developed GIS strategy and GIS regional microplanning. Monthly Progress Report and documentation of the process Week 4-7 20% Provide timely and quality contributions in the update and implementation of the Immunization strategies and COVID-19 integration in PHC framework through participation and collaboration with internal and external partnership. Monthly Progress Report and documentation of the process Week 8-11 20% Support MOH EPI in work closely with school health unit and HPU unit to put in place a yearly plan and strategy for vaccination campaigns including awareness pre-vaccination campaign. Monthly Progress Report and documentation of the process Week 12-15 20% Support the CCVM consultant to improve the cold chain management and vaccine flow through training on vaccine management practices, update vaccine stock management tools, operating procedures, and any other tool related to vaccines. Monthly Progress Report and documentation of the process Week 16-19 20% Develop and submit the final report of the consultancy with recommendation on sustainability Final report Week 20 10%
Supervisor: Immunization Specialist	Start Date: 1 August 2024	End Date: 31 December 2024	Number of Days (working)
			5 months

 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum Qualifications required:

Masters in Public Health, Pediatric Health, Child Development, Child Health, Nutrition, Epidemiology, Public Administration, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines or a first university degree combined with additional years of relevant experience, can in principle be considered in lieu of the advanced degree.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

 Five years of professional work experience at the national and international levels in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of health/Immunization programmes. Professional work experience in a technical expert position related to child survival & health care.
 Work experience in outbreak context is considered as an asset.
 Work experience managing large-scale projects, working with governments, working in resource-limited settings, monitoring and evaluating supply chains, and risk management, mitigation will be an asset.
 Product knowledge on cold chain equipment, new cold chain technologies and understanding of the principles of vaccine management, knowledge and experience with data collection, data management analysis and reporting are essential. Knowledge of procurement processes and good distribution practice could be beneficial.
 Fluency in English
 Good computer and software skills including MS Office, TMS, Vision, Service Gateway

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).   

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

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:  

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. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.