Consultant to support Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and demand generation interventions for COVID 19 prevention and vaccine introduction in Botswana

Consultant Programme & Policy Communications & PR

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Background:

In January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The outbreak has infected millions of people across the world and caused significant loss of lives. Government of Botswana in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, has introduced a set of measures on prevention of COVD-19. Despite all the efforts put in place the country continue to experience a surge in cases and to date the country has been registering more than 10 deaths per week.

In a bid to protect the country from the burden of morbidity and ultimately mortality, Botswana has joined global efforts and multiple platforms to accelerate the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines. Due to limited availability of COVID-19 vaccines, Botswana has took heed of the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE)’s recommendations and ensured that the roll-out prioritized and conducted in phases, starting with the most vulnerable population being the senior citizens, those with comorbidities, frontliners, then gradually scaled up to the remaining of the population 18 years and above. Botswana Government is expecting COVID-19 vaccine to arrive end of March 2021.

There is growing evidence of vaccine delays or hesitancy due to a lack of trust in the importance, safety, or effectiveness of vaccines, alongside persisting access issues. The global world has created room for infodemic, now people are saturated with a lot of information on vaccines which some is misleading and inappropriate, creating lack of confidence on the newly manufactured vaccines. [1] Community trust is key to ensure vaccine uptake and buy-in. To build trust and confidence among the population of Botswana, the Ministry of Health and Wellness conducted a Rapid Acceptance and Risk Perceptions Survey, in order to inform the planned population roll – out of the vaccines. The survey’s findings indicated that acceptance rate of the COVID-19 vaccine is 73.4% while risk perception stood at 31.3%.

Since vaccine roll out will be done in phased approach while manufacturers scale production, it is equally important that COVID-19 prevention and management measures continue to be strengthened through evidence based and impactful interventions

Currently, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has launched Communication Strategy for COVID-19 to ensure that the nation kick starts provision of accurate and up to date information on COVID 19 prevention, management and vaccine roll out, based on evidence generated as alluded by the survey. Demand generation interventions will be put in place to encourage eligible populations to be vaccinated and at the same time manage public expectations and convey that vaccine will not be sufficient for everyone in the beginning.

Justification:

Communication for COVID-19 vaccine and Demand Generation is a key component in lessening the disease burden cause by COVID-19. The Government of Botswana, led by Ministry of Health and Wellness with Development Partners, including UNICEF, have provided leadership and guidance to the National Technical Working Group, which is now are ahead in preparations that have already conceived the necessary guiding tools and documents for the deployment of the vaccine.

UNICEF Botswana has increased responsibility to support the Ministry to execute the COVID-19 Vaccine Communication strategy and Implementation Plan. As such, a strong consultant with solid experience and expertise in RCCE, with more emphasis on immunizations will be required to support Ministry of Health and Wellness. As the assignment requires intensive dedicated work, full-time consultant is needed to support the pre, roll out and post phases of COVID 19 vaccine and ensure community engagement at all levels. Therefore, UNICEF Botswana is looking to recruit a consultant to provide rapid support to Ministry of Health and Wellness and partners on RCCE and vaccine demand generation.

Purpose and objectives of the contract:

The purpose of the contract is to provide technical support to the Ministry of Health and Wellness executing the strategy and implementation plan and monitoring of evidence-based risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) interventions, with a special focus on demand generation for the COVID 19 vaccine and continued COVID-19 prevention.

Objectives of the assignment:

The consultant will be responsible for the following: -

• Support implementation of the National Vaccine Deployment Plan by coordinating with partners to strengthen evidence based RCCE and demand generation for COVID 19 vaccine introduction;
  • Strengthen behavior change communication plan (risk communication included) to support roll out of COVID-19 vaccine and related documents (SOPs, etc) at subnational level by engaging community leaders, local influencers and the House of Chiefs;
  • Develop communication materials based on rapid survey that was conducted and borrowing from the global guidance in partnership with MoHW and adapt where necessary.
  • Support and direct social listening/social media monitoring and data collection on knowledge, attitudes and behaviors around COVID-19 vaccination through Vox Pox, U-report, internet of good things and other local services;
  • Provision of support to the districts in order to bridge the gap.
  • Develop and adapt training material and facilitate training using the training material.

Sc****ope of Work:

Working under the direct supervision of C4D Officer and in close consultation with the Health Specialist, the C4D consultant will support the national RCCE committee to strengthen its evidence based RCCE and Demand generation strategy, plans for COVID 19 prevention and vaccine introduction and its implementation (as outlined in NDVP Chapter 8 Vaccination Acceptance and uptake). The work on vaccine demand generation planning will complement the ongoing work on COVID 19 RCCE work to ensure seamless coordination of ongoing response to vaccine introduction in the country, and to continue the promotion of behaviors to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 both before and after vaccination, prepare countries to respond rapidly to adverse effects following immunization (AEFIs) with crisis communication plan, and an national/sub national advocacy plan to mobilize wide spread support for COVID-19 vaccination.

The consultant will be responsible for the following activities:

Planning:

• Support existing country level coordination mechanism in demand generation.
• Coordinate with National RCCE Committee and support the development of national planning for risk communication and demand generation based on the NDVP, global guidelines on COVID-19 vaccine with specific activities to reach the priority populations for the first phase of vaccination (health workers, essential workers, older adult population, people in long term care and people with pre-existing condition-as per the final decision of the country).
• Conduct a mapping of key stakeholders, influencers, faith-based groups partners and most trusted sources of information to support acceptance and uptake of Covid-19 vaccination (e.g.: public health, nursing associations, organizations working with older adults, faith- based organizations etc.) and in providing orientations to them.
• In coordination with internal UNICEF sections (e.g.: C4D, external communication and T4D colleagues) support in establishing/activating the social listening and misinformation management mechanism, including use of U-Report and other rapid assessment methodologies.
• Coordinate the collection, analysis and use of behavior and social data (surveys, studies etc.) to inform communication and programme response

Strategy development and messaging:

• Oversee, coordinate with WHO and partners and provide technical assistance to MoHW and partners on development and pre-testing and finalization of evidence-based communication content, messages and material as guided by evidence from social listening and based on global guidelines
• Develop SOPs to crisis communication preparedness and response including training of identified relevant resource people.
• Tailor the global community engagement guidance to make it context specific for local context of the country.

Capacity development

• Adapt available training modules and job aids for health workers and vaccinators as both first adopters of vaccines and as advocates for vaccination acceptance and uptake in communities
• Support capacity building of health workers, CSOs, frontline workers on demand generation-linking it with the gains made in RCCE.

Monitoring, documentation and knowledge management:

• Develop a monitoring framework and checklists for demand generation strategy and plan.
• Support monitoring (including community feedback, media and social media monitoring) and reporting of ongoing implementation of RCCE Strategy, vaccine introduction and broader C4D/Risk communication activities.
• Support documentation of RCCE and Demand generation activities including best practices and lessons learnt.
• Produce monthly consultant reports.

Deliverables and Timelines

Consultant is expected to submit monthly report with attachment of all deliverables for the month by the 5th of every month. Review and approval of deliverables by consultant supervisor should be given within 5 working days and payment processed upon approval.

Timeline

Deliverables

5 May 2021

• Monthly Progress report, including; revised RCCE Strategy, COVID-19 Vaccine communication Plan for demand generation and development of social listening mechanism.

5 June 2021

• Monthly progress report including; implementation tracking dashboards and mapping of key influencers for targeted engagement and messaging.

5 July 2021

• Monthly progress report including; quarterly KAP survey results to inform strategic engagements and messaging and implementation tracking dashboards

5 August 2021

• Monthly progress report including; implementation tracking dashboards.

5 September 2021

• Monthly progress report including; implementation tracking dashboards.

5 October 2021

• Monthly progress report including; lessons learned and recommendations

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[1] Alexandre de Figueiredo*, Clarissa Simas*, Emilie Karafillakis, Pauline Paterson, Heidi J Larson: Mapping global trends in vaccine confidence and investigating barriers to vaccine uptake: a large-scale retrospective temporal modelling study: Lancet 2020:

Administrative Issues

The candidate selected will be governed by and subject to UNICEF’s General Terms and Conditions for individual contracts.

Additional details of UNICEF rules, regulations and conditions will be attached to the contract.

The consultant will use his/her own equipment to produce deliverables. Office space will be provided at UNICEF as available and necessary.

For International Consultant, it is expected to travel and work in-country and remotely based on an agreed upon schedule. The consultant is required to indicate an all-inclusive fee for this assignment, considering travel to Botswana and in-country travel as applicable. Airfares and in-country living expenses will be part of the all-inclusive fee. Skype calls with country partners to be scheduled based on need.

No contract may commence unless the contract is signed by both UNICEF and the consultant.

The consultant is not entitled to payment for overtime, weekends or public holidays, medical insurance and taxes.

No travel should take place without an email travel authorization from section prior to the commencement of the journey from the duty station.

Standard UNICEF procedures will apply for invoicing and all other financial management requirements set out in the contract.

Standard penalty clauses will also apply for late and poor-quality deliverables. The supervisor of the contract will provide the consultant with the criteria for the evaluation of the quality of each deliverable.

Consultants will not have supervisory responsibilities or authority on UNICEF budget.

Consultant will be required to sign the Health Statement for consultants/individual contractor prior to taking up the assignment, and to share an appropriate proof of health insurance covering COVID-19, including Medical Evacuation.

As per UNICEF DFAM policy, payment is made on monthly bases against approved deliverables for the month. No advance payment is allowed unless in exceptional circumstances against bank guarantee, subject to a maximum of 30 Per cent of the total contract value in cases where advance purchases, for example for supplies or travel, may be necessary.

The selected candidate may be required to work from MOHW offices for better coordination with the RCCE team.

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

Education:

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Health Promotion and Education, communications, anthropology, social psychology, social sciences, or related field.

Language:

• Excellent written and spoken English. Knowledge of written and spoken Setswana will be an added advantage.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in Communication for Development and emergencies, risk communication and community engagement.
• Experience in working on immunization- preferably prior experience in new vaccine introduction.
• Experience in developing and implementing communication plans focusing on social and behavior change communication and Standard Operating Plans for crisis communication.
• Demonstrated experience in supporting government in developing social and behavior change strategies and interventions;
• Proven experience of working in humanitarian contexts.

HOW TO APPLY

Qualified candidates are requested to complete an application, including a profile and a technical proposal to the respective advertisement online. Please indicate your ability, availability and financial proposal/quote to complete the terms of reference above.

Rates must include all expenses related to the assignment (e.g. consultancy fee, travel, living allowance).

Applications submitted without a fee/ rate will not be considered.

If you have not been contacted within 2 months of the closing date, please accept that your application was unsuccessful. Regret emails will be sent only to shortlisted/contacted candidates.

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.

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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:

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.

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Added 3 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org