Individual National Consultant for Immunization Equity Assessment, Dar es salaam, Tanzania, 90 Days

Contract

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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.

And we never give up.

For every child, Care.

The Immunization and Vaccine Development (IVD) program in Tanzania started in 1975 with the overall goal of providing immunization services to all eligible children, women of childbearing age, and vulnerable groups regardless of their economic status, geographic location and cultural barriers and reducing child morbidity and mortality. Since its start, the program has undergone gradual expansion having started with vaccines against three (3) diseases (Tuberculosis, Measles, and Polio) to add new vaccines protecting children against Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Pneumonia, diarrhoea, Hepatitis B and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Over years, the IVD program managed to attain high immunization coverage of which, in 2019, the coverage of Pentavalent 3 reached 98%

In 2020, Tanzania, like the rest of the world experienced an outbreak of COVID-19 with the first case of COVID-19 registered on 16th March 2020. In response to this outbreak, Tanzania developed its National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP) that outlines key activities towards the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine. The plan prioritized frontline healthcare workers, people with co-morbidities, adults aged 45 years and above, and frontline essential workers from ports of entry, military and security forces, and school teachers. They constitute 20% of the population (11,888,398) and will be vaccinated free of charge utilizing the COVAX vaccine. As of 20th December 2021, the number of people reached with COVID-19 vaccination services was 1,208,700. (2.1%)

How can you make a difference?

For the past 5 years immunization coverage in the United Republic of Tanzania has remained constant above 95% leaving about 5% of children unreached. The Reach Every Child (REC) strategy was used to expand the immunization program and attain high coverage. However, there are still challenges in knowing exactly who the unreached children are and where they reside. The reasons for not being reached and strategies to reach them is also not well articulated.

A desk review conducted in 2018 displayed inequities in immunization coverages associated with geography, gender, wealth and education status. Moreover, the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) also found that there were differences in immunization coverage by zone and routine data from 2017, showed disparities in immunization coverage across districts. Regarding gender, there was no significant difference between male and female children in terms of reaching them for vaccination. It was also noted that the likelihood for a child to be vaccinated decreases the higher the birth order and increase with wealth quantile. Such discrepancies in reaching the population for immunization services are outdated and with the recent outbreak of COVID 19 and response vaccination, there is a need to retake the exercise to inform future planning of the immunization program.

KEY TASKS, DELIVERABLES AND TIME FRAME

The main objective of this consultancy is to Conduct an in-depth Immunization Equity Assessment to determine whether the COVID 19 outbreak response has resulted in and inequities in reaching communities for immunization services.

The consultancy will bring about the report of inequities that exist in the immunization program and recommendations for future planning of the immunization program.

Description of the assignment

The consultant is expected to accomplish the following tasks:

1. Development of the Inception Report
2. Conduct and document Desk review and stakeholders’ interview of the immunization program about immunization equity at national and subnational level
3. Develop a report of immunization Equity Assessment
4. Conduct stakeholders meeting for dissemination of Equity Assessment report

TASKS, DELIVERABLES, TIMELINE & PAYMENT SCHEDULE.

SN

Deliverables

Duration

Due Time

Payment (%)

1

Inception report showing the consultant’s plan of accomplishing the tasks.

15 days

15th February 2022

15

2

Submission of the report of a desk review of immunization program documents

15 days

1st March 2022

15

3

Submission of the report of stakeholder’s interviews

15 days

16th March 2022

15

4

Submission of report and presentation on Immunization Equity Assessment

30 days

16th April 2022

30

5

Submission of the report and presentation for dissemination meeting

15 days

1st May 2022

15

PAYMENT SCHEDULE. Payments will be made upon submission and acceptance of the specified deliverables in the table above under section TASKS, DELIVERABLE AND TIME FRAME. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/output is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines.

MEDICAL EVACUATION COVERAGE. The consultant will be required to submit the proof of medical/Health Insurance with medical evacuation coverage.

SUPERVISING AND REPORTING The consultant will directly report to the Immunization Specialist. The reports and deliverables will be jointly reviewed by UNICEF and the Ministry of health IVD program.

LOGISTICS AND LOCATION The consultant will execute the tasks in his/her town and Dar es Salaam or Dodoma when needed.

DURATION OF THE CONSULTANCY This consultancy covers a period of 90 days.

EVALUATION PROCESS AND METHODS

Proposals will be both technically and financially evaluated. The technical part will carry a weight of 75%, in which the consultant will put clear his/her technical approach to ensure quality attainment of each deliverable and the consultancy in totality. The financial part will carry 25% showing proposed budget breakdown of consultancy cost for each deliverable and eventual total consultancy cost. This will make a total of 100%.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

This project will be managed by the Health Section. The consultant will be responsible for his/her travel costs while implementing the project

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will need to have the following…

The consultant is expected to meet a minimum of the following qualifications:

• Advanced university degree in health, social sciences, or related field. Preferably a higher degree encompassing knowledge of public health, Monitoring & Evaluation, research, policy, management and health system strengthening.
• A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in research/assessments/Evaluation,
• Fluency in written and spoken English is essential; knowledge of Swahili is an asset.
• Knowledge of the Tanzanian EPI program is an asset
• Excellent facilitation skills, negotiation skills, and oral and written communication skills are an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

Builds and maintains partnerships, demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, innovates, and embraces change, drive to achieve results for impact, manages ambiguity and complexity, thinks, and acts strategically, work Collaboratively with others.

To view our competency framework, please click the link below.

https://www.unicef.org/careers/media/1041/file/UNICEF%27s_Competency_Framework.pdf

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.