Consultancy: Integration of COVID-19 vaccination into immunization programmes- Req

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Consultancy Title: Integration of COVID-19 vaccination into immunization programmes

Section/Division/Duty Station: Health Programme Team – New York HQ / REMOTE

Duration: 03 October 2022 to 15 September 2023 (250 days)

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

COVID-19 is still a Public Health Emergency of International Concern since being declared as such by the WHO on 20 January 2020. COVID-19 vaccination has been implemented in nearly in 61% of the global population having received the primary series. This has been the fastest and the most complex global vaccine campaign in history. Mass vaccination campaigns were used as a main delivery approach to reach the targeted populations quickly and widely. However, in many countries, this has come at a high price. Health workers and resources have been diverted from providing essential health services including immunization to COVID-19 vaccination efforts. As a result, the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks is increasing. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic response has justifiably required dedicated attention and resources to support rapid scale up and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines – at times via coordination, financing, delivery, and other approaches outside of or on top of already overburdened health systems. While this approach has put a strain on essential immunization and other national programmes, it has also resulted in new approaches, insights and innovations that can further benefit health systems for the long term. Despite many unknowns about the future of the pandemic and COVID-19 vaccination, it is time to plan for sustainable COVID-19 vaccination as an integral part of national immunization programmes, primary health care, and other relevant health services. Many countries are already integrating COVID-19 vaccination into their regular health services and exploring new entry points for vaccination of high-risk groups.

There is need for support the essential for moving from mass campaigns for COVID-19 vaccination to integrating COVID-19 vaccination into immunization programmes, PHC and other relevant health services. The aim is to fully explore potential areas for integration of different components of immunization programmes, PHC, and the health system. Given the evolving epidemiological nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is a living document and will be updated to reflect the changing context including as policies for COVID-19 vaccinations over the longer-term are formulated.

Scope of Work (Activity/Assignment):

Countries and regions will need timely synchronized technical assistance in setting up the existing health systems to deliver the COVID vaccination through integration. This needs to identify the principles for integration of COVID-19 vaccination into immunization programme. UNICEF will support in overview of the benefits and risks of integration of COVID-19 vaccination and design the program based on the country context. The countries will also require supports on how to operationalize integration of COVID-19 vaccination programme which includes assess their readiness, develop a plan, and identify short-term capacities and investment needs. During the last 2 years, many children were left out due to COVID vaccination and need to be mopped up through special campaigns. The consultant will work with the respective teams in UNICEF Headquarter, Regional Offices and, Country Offices and other partners to achieve the following tasks:

1. Developing a multi-year plan for integration of COVID vaccination in routine immunization services in the country through initiating/building on the integration process with the stakeholders to justify the need for integration of COVID vaccination within the immunization programme and generate policy dialogue for political awareness.
2. Conduct multisectoral consultations on potential COVID-19 vaccine integration between government entities and programmes (e.g., NIP, NCDs, MCH), civil society, donors, development partners, NITAG, NLWG, ICC and other higher-level bodies.
3. Assist country team to organize series of workshop to develop multiyear framework through government and plan for integration process by different phases with all stakeholder and donors in the country and propose short-term (6-12 months) capacity/functionality required and priority investments including costing.
4. Technical support in developing key principals and implementation guidelines for execution of the plan with cascade of training from national to community level.
5. Support the country to conduct a situation analysis to assess the national and sub-national level readiness and status of countries for integration of COVID-19 vaccination into NIP services, PHC, and other relevant services. Assessment includes health workforce competencies, proportion of COVID-19 high-risk populations amongst the general population organizational culture and effective ways to develop multisectoral regulations, procedures, and governance structures that foster efficient and timely implementation, acceptability and perceptions of health workers and communities, availability of financing and human resources etc.
6. Based on data trends in the country, use findings from equity assessments and other analysis to help countries prioritize and design strategies which aim to overcome immunization and access challenges encountered in these settings to reach the urban poor and peri-urban settlements, refugees and displaced persons, persons affected by conflict, remote rural and other special populations in the country with vaccines.
7. Support in understanding the beliefs, perceptions and experiences of the recipients of vaccination to inform the design, implementation and evaluation of targeted demand-related strategies and to ultimately help ensure more equitable access to quality services
8. Support the documentation of lessons learnt, case studies and best practices as it relates to strategies and interventions designed and rolled out in these specific contexts.
9. Provide support to integrate health monitoring information systems (records, registers, electronic system covering whole data pipeline, providing performance monitoring dashboards to inform actions).
10. Support to integrate reporting systems for COVID-19 vaccination (e.g., electronic) and EPI (e.g. paper based) including vaccine-preventable disease surveillance, AEFI and AESI systems
11. Technical assistance in strengthening vaccine storage and cold chain, distribution planning (e.g., CCE and UCC requirements, temperature monitoring, VVM / short expiry), and waste management.
12. Support in COVID-19 Post-Introduction Evaluation (cPIE) or the new vaccine's which includes desk review of relevant country documents

Perform any other relevant tasks that the immunization coverage and equity team require with respect to data monitoring and reporting

Travel, if applicable:

Consultant will be required to travel based on country requirements in any of the UNICEF regions (ROSA, EAPRO, ESARO,WCARO, ECARO, LACRO) and New York headquarter to provide specific technical assistance. Around three (3) travel assignments of two weeks (12 days maximum) are foreseen during this consultancy. Travel cost will be incorporated into the contract. Consultant is expected to organize their travel with support from the unit and section travel focal points on required documentations and guidance.

Terms of Reference / Deliverables

In close collaboration and working with the Health Specialist the incumbent’s responsibilities are as follows

Tasks/Milestone

Deliverables/Outputs - Timeline

• Desk review and coordination with all teams

Inception report of the overall task and action plans – 21 days

• Assist country team to data analysis draft plan for multiyear framework through government and plan for integration process by different phases with all stakeholder and donors in the country and propose way forward for integration.

Draft multi-year, multi country framework – 63 days

• Contribute for endorsing plan, costing of integration plan, integration in HMIS, eLMIS, monitoring, SBCC for integration, SIAs to cover remote population, policy dialogues and documentation.

Regular updates on the COVID vaccine immunization and integration process in the RO/countries Qualifications. – 166 days

Qualifications

1) Education

• An Advanced University Degree (Masters) in relevant field including Medicine, Public Health, Health Policy and Management, Social or Behavioural Science or another related fields.
• Additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the university degree.

2) Work experience

• Minimum of 5 years relevant professional experience in planning, management and implementation of immunization or health programs.
• Very good understanding of national immunization programs, Primary health care and health systems.
• Experience in supporting countries to design and implement new vaccine integration, equity analysis, strategies to reach zero dose and under-vaccinated children etc.
• Knowledge and experience with reaching every district or community (RED/REC) approach.
• Immunization programming field experience in contexts such as urban, remote rural, conflict, gender, and related areas an advantage.
• Proficiency in use of statistical software an advantage.

3) Competencies

• Fluency in English (both written and spoken) is required. Knowledge of French or other Un languages an asset.
• Strong analytical skills and experience synthesizing information from multiple sources.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.

Requirements****:

• Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and provide Personal History Form (P11) Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include:
• your daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference (can be downloaded here: https://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index_consultancy_assignments.html
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

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 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

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.