Background

Immunization is a success story for global health and development, preventing millions of deaths every year – from 2010 to 2018, approximately 23 million deaths were averted with measles vaccine alone. Again, vaccines are critical to prevention and control of many infectious diseases and underpin global health security.

In its inception, the COVID-19 pandemic caused massive disruptions to health care delivery globally. The achievement of high immunization coverage for COVID-19 has come at a price - health workers and resources have been diverted from providing essential health services, including immunization, to COVID-19 vaccination efforts. The low routine immunization coverages have manifested as outbreaks of previously controlled Vaccine Preventable Disease (VPDs). The number of “zero dose” children continue to increase and immunization programmes in many countries are yet to recover and restore the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) trajectory. Further, declassification of COVID-19 pandemic as a public health event of international concern requires repositioning of immunization programmes to integrate COVID-19 vaccination into routine systems to protect vulnerable populations who may require periodic booster dosing.

Since early 2000, immunization programmes have been guided by the Comprehensive Multi-Year Plan (cMYP) – a strategic documentation of a country’s approach to ensuring equitable immunization coverage to reduce morbidity and mortality from VPDs. The expansion of routine immunization beyond childhood to include adult vaccination platforms requires transition from cMYP to strategies that incorporate life-course approach. Gavi’s focus is evolving to contribute to the aspiration of IA2030 and the SDGs. The Gavi 5.0 (2021-2025) has a key objective of leaving no one behind and focuses on zero-dose children and missed communities.

Given the new direction, countries are admonished to develop comprehensive immunization plans that consider and cost all aspect of the immunization system, bringing visibility to Governments’ and Partners’ resource contributions. The National Immunization Strategy (NIS) is a high-level strategic document that frames realistic expectations within resource envelopes. It is a country-owned document that builds on learnings from the cMYP and aligns to the Regional Strategic Plan for Immunization (RSPI) towards achieving IA2030. The NIS will streamline costing approach and support budget dialogue and financing to strengthen in-country development process and improve health outcome.

Primary objective

· To support the develop a National Immunization Strategy (NIS) to guide Ghana’s EPI to achieve IA20230 and the SDG targets (2024-2030)

Secondary objectives

· To support the conduct of situation analysis of the country’s immunization programme

· To support the development of strategies to improve and sustain immunization programme performance

· To support the development of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track performance

· To support costing of the NIS and initiate budget dialogue with key stakeholders

Purpose

The main purpose of this contract is to engage a technical officer to coordinate documentation of the country’s NIS using WHO NIS guidelines.

Tasks/roles

In close collaboration with technical officers in WHO and under the guidance of the WHO Country Representative, the consultant will support the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the following:

1. Support the development of the country’s NIS

2. Make inputs of stakeholders and technical working groups for the various thematic areas

3. Support to draft, review, and finalize the NIS policy document

4. Documents lessons

Required qualification and skills

1. A University degree in public health, planning, administration, or related field

2. At least 5 years’ experience working in the public health sector with good understanding of Ghana’s immunization programme and development of strategic documents.

3. Familiarity with development/review of health service delivery policies/guidelines

4. Experience working within the Ghana Health System and the UN System

Duration

03 August to 30 September 2023

Remuneration

The officer will be remunerated based on NO-B Grade.