Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Local Consultant (Open to Eswatini Locals only)

Background

The Kingdom of Eswatini, Ministry of Health will be undertaking a review for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) from end of August to October 2023. The program review is considered an important public health management tool for all countries determined to strengthen programme systems and capacity to boost performance and scale up and sustain universal goals as per programme components.

The last comprehensive EPI Review in Eswatini was conducted in 2016. The Eswatini Expanded Programme on Immunization is committed to achieve and maintain high immunization coverage by reaching all children with potent vaccines and reduce the number of unvaccinated and under vaccinated children, sustaining availability of current vaccines given as per recommended vaccination schedule, introducing new vaccines when they become available, and maintaining a high quality and sensitive surveillance system including improving data management at all levels aiming to reach the Immunization Agenda 2030 targets.

WHO recommends EPI Programme reviews to be conducted every 5 years which then feeds into the development of the National Strategic Plan. The current cMYP of 2017 to 2021 end this year. Hence there is a strong need for comprehensive EPI programme review which will be used to guide the development of a new National EPI Plan which will also be in line with the Extended National Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP) III 2017 to 2025. The new National Immunization Strategy will be also in line with 2030 Immunization Agenda and the Regional Immunization Strategic Plan 2022-2030.

Rationale

The National EPI review is an important mechanism for strengthening the effectiveness of the program. The last review was conducted in 2016. The 2023 review will assess the status of implementation of the recommendations of the previous reviews including the 2016 EPI review and the current EPI Multi-Year Plan (2017 – 2023) taking into consideration the new interventions and developments. The findings and recommendations of the review would highlight actions and considerations by Programme Manager, Partners and policy makers at all levels of immunization programme operations. The recommendations will also form a foundation for developing the 2024 – 2028 National Immunization Strategy.

The review will have an added value in building an effective and efficient immunization programme through the identification of major achievements and related outcomes and impact, best practices, lessons learnt of critical issues, challenges and ways of overcoming them and strengthen the service delivery. This will produce recommendations to senior management designed to restore and sustain effective Vaccine-Preventable Disease (VPD) control. Based on the above there is need to support the Ministry of Health to develop COVID-19 transition plan, integrate covid-19 vaccine and support the establishment of influenza like surveillance system.

Deliverables

Overall objective of the consultancy is to:

· Assess the status of leadership, Governance, and performance of the immunization programme and VPD surveillance over the past 5 years

· To assess the effect/impact of the health system and external environment of EPI performance over the past 5 years including the pandemic.

· To conduct data quality and information systems review & assess data quality

· To conduct the behaviour social driver’s assessment to better guide demand for immunization

· To provide recommendations for strategic planning for the Immunization Program including better documentation of the immunization financing information (for sustainability).

As part of the upcoming Comprehensive Immunization Program review, a national consultant will be engaged to lead desk review documentation of the National Immunization programme performance over the last five years. Subsequent to that, the incumbent will be expected to work closely with external reviewers. The consultant will be under the supervision of the Leadership of the WHO Country officer Representative as the first line supervisor and WHO EPI officer as second line supervisor that will guide and coordinate the support for the review.

Scope of work

This exercise will be carried out in two parts

Part one: Will focus on desk review with the following tasks to be undertaken

1. Review findings and recommendations of previous plans, evaluations, assessment and studies conducted over the last five years.
2. Produce a table of key recommendations and status of implementation; determine topics to consider as priorities in the EPI Review guided by the standard WHO situation analysis tool.

Key desk review resources include:

· multi-year plan for immunization of Eswatini;

· previous EPI review, surveillance reviews, post-introduction evaluations; Intra action reviews (COVID 19, MR SIAs etc…)

· Immunization performance coverage data at national and subnational, surveys and data quality assessments; surveillance data for Vaccine preventable Diseases, outbreaks (investigations reports) including vaccine safety surveillance (IDSR and different data sets) joint appraisals, KAP studies and other evaluations;

· financial or economic assessments if available.

3. Mapping of the EPI partners, and national stakeholders which will be used as a basis for partner interviews.
4. Assist with preparations for training and orientation on the adaptation of the tools for the review: gather key reference documents for reviewers/Topic Leads including technical guidelines and tools (immunization manual/policies, VPD surveillance, AEFI, vaccine management guidelines, etc.);
5. Prepare a desk review presentation on the findings by topic for the review training.

Part two: Main EPI review will focus on main EPI review, and this will be done jointly with external experts from partners (WHO and UNICEF)

Tasks and responsibilities

6. Support the finalization of the drafted Comprehensive Immunization Review protocol, adapt and tailor EPI Review tools to country context
7. Lead the consolidation of the desk review using the situational analysis tool
8. Support the coordination and implementation of main EPI review with the WHO Focal person and relevant stakeholders
9. training of field data collectors,
10. data collection,
11. analysis report writing

12. dissemination of findings and recommendations

    Key Deliverables

1. Produce and present inception report within one week of signing of the contract

2. Produce a report on EPI performance and implications for the upcoming EPI Review methods and tools.
3. Format the report so that it can be used as background to the EPI Review report.
4. Adapt the protocol and field tools for the EPI review.
5. Coordinate data collection and analysis

6. Produce final report on the comprehensive EPI review

   Support the coordination of the dissemination of findings and recommendations to stakeholders.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications and Experience

• Master of Public Health or any advanced health-related degree.
• Strong experience in health systems for least 5 years minimum

• 5 years minimum experience and involvement in supporting any of EPI activities

  Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies)

Knowledge and Skills

• Sound knowledge and experience with national immunization programming.
• Excellent analytic and writing skills
• Very good writing, presentation, documentation and data analysis skills.
• IT skills (Basic Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Excellent command of MS-Office
• Planning and organizing

Competencies

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Maturity and professional ability to handle sensitive information and ability to respect the and uphold client confidentiality protocols, even after the contract ends.
• Proactive and open communicator
• Attention to detail
• Innovative and creative
• Organized and multi-tasking
• Strong team player

• Commitment to WHO’s work principles and values.

  Languages and level required

• Excellent knowledge of English and Siswati.

  Reporting

• Draft progress report on weekly basis supported by output/ evidence and submit progress report in weekly technical meetings

• Produce desk review report prior to the review
• Produce end of mission/project

Technical Supervision

Under the direction of WR of Eswatini, and under the direct supervision of WHO EPR Officer.

Location

Eswatini, National level

Travel

Travel within the region and communities

Remuneration and budget (travel costs excluded)

Currency: SZL (Lilangeni)

Current UN Eswatini remuneration scale to apply for the National Professional position scaled at NO-C

Duration: 90 Days (3 months)