National consultant on COVID-19 response and immunization system strengthening in Kazakhstan

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Type of contract: Consultant, full-time Duration: 8 months from 1 March 2022 to 31 October 2022 Workplace: remote & office-based (depends on the epidemiological situation)

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, a fair chance

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Background

Public health crisis provoked by the pandemics of Covid-19 poses significant challenges to the healthcare systems throughout the world and in Kazakhstan. Despite having access to several vaccines, the vaccine coverage is still not high, especially in vulnerable groups of population. For instance, according to MoH, in November 2021 50% of the population aged 60-65 was still not vaccinated against Covid-19. In addition, with the apparition of new variants, the threat for children is becoming more important, as they are the population which could not be vaccinated. Starting from November 2021, adolescents (from 12 years old) have a possibility to be vaccinated against coronavirus, however anecdotal evidence shows that the percentage of those willing to do so is very low. By 21st December, only 222 thousand adolescents, pregnant and lactating women have got at least one dose of vaccine from around 2 million planned. In the coming year the vaccine could become available for the children from 5 years old, but it is expected that the vaccine hesitancy will become a more important issue. These problems could have multiple causes and therefore, ways to tackle them. First of all, there is a need in evidence-based communication. UNICEF is planning a multitude of activities to enable open and informative communication with the parents, teachers, religious leaders, social workers, vulnerable groups of population etc. This communication should be built on scientific evidence, which requires extensive technical knowledge in the field of vaccination and constant day-to-day update on the situation. Secondly, one of the most important reasons for low vaccine coverage is high proportion of false counterindications. The problem arises from the low level of knowledge about vaccines among the healthcare workers. UNICEF has previously conducted extensive trainings on vaccine safety and false counterindications, which plans to be continued and expanded during the year 2022. For this, constant technical support is required to ensure the quality of the trainings provided for experts, schoolteachers, school medical personnel, healthcare workers., and influencers including religious leaders.

And finally, there could be some gaps in the immunization system, which comprises different aspects such as planning and procurement, transport and storage, monitoring of counterindications and adverse events. UNICEF is committed to support the government in the assessment of the cold chain. This task requires technical assistance and efficient communication between different stakeholders involved in the process.

How can you make a difference?

The consultancy is to assist the Ministry of Health in supporting COVID-19 response, which needs specific technical expertise

Purpose of the Assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to conduct a cold chain assessment and analysis of key risk factors for severe COVID-19 among children and adolescents, as well as to provide technical support with the quality assurance of the information delivered to the targeted audience. This assignment is planned in a close collaboration with the UNICEF Kazakhstan National consultant on COVID-19 Vaccine C4D activities, with main responsibilities to organize and coordinate demand generation and community engagement activities within the ongoing national vaccination programme, which has been started in 2021 under the UNICEF Kazakhstan country office response to COVID-19. With regards to combat the mis/disinformation on immunization, address vaccine hesitancy and build the trust of the targeted groups, there is a high need of the technical expertise and a scientific accuracy of the developed communication materials. This technical expertise is to be provided by the national consultant on strengthening Immunization system.

Scope of Work: The consultant is expected to perform tasks and contribute to the accomplishment of the following deliverables as listed below: Providing technical expertise in identifying key messages, appropriate channels for distribution and quality assurance of the information on COVID-19 immunization for target groups: 1. Support the UNICEF communication unit with technical expertise about vaccination for the development of a communication plan, including social and behavioral change components, to strengthen the national system on Covid-19 vaccine demand/acceptance through the evidence generation. 2. Provide to the Government (MoH, NCPHC, MoES etc.) the technical knowledge and necessary scientific updates for the development of the “Living with COVID-19” strategy that describes the measures for COVID-19 pandemic mitigation during 2022, including monitoring vaccine coverage, variants, COVID-19 incidence among school pupils etc. 3. Prepare the content and present on a number of workshops (at least 5 courses, online) for teachers and school medical workers on COVID-19 adolescent vaccination (teaching materials, presenting on the sessions and follow up, such as answering the questions participants may have after the sessions etc.). 4. In collaboration with the UNICEF communication unit, support the MoH with technical knowledge on vaccination to ensure the development of targeted communication interventions to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake, including targeted groups (pregnant, adolescents, diabetics, cancer survivors, patients with autoimmune diseases). 5. Provide expert scientific review and editing of materials to be developed under the digital outreach activity (special web page on COVID-19 on the existing vaccination site; social media: content generation & dissemination). 6. In collaboration with the UNICEF communication unit, provide technical knowledge to engage the communities, including religious leaders, teachers, other groups to promote understanding and support for COVID-19 vaccination. Providing technical expertise in evidence generation for increasing the vaccine uptake and maintaining the cold chain, including the use of ultra-cold storage: 7. Prepare a methodological framework for the Assessment on cold chain capacity for COVID-19 vaccines with the support of international and national experts in coordination with WHO (including validation with the national partners and advocacy based on the assessment’s findings). Finalize the Assessment report, develop and discuss with the Government partners of the improvement plan to address the assessment recommendations. 8. Validate and localize the methodology and rolling out of research on social and behavioral drivers influencing vaccine acceptance and hesitancy (COVID-19 and routine immunization) 9. Assist in providing the evidence for the vaccination campaign to undertake with the support of the national experts a study report to identify characteristics of children and adolescents hospitalized with Covid-19 in Kazakhstan starting from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (including finalization and validation with partners the findings and recommended measures and support the advocacy based of the study findings). 10. Provide the technical assistance in the field of vaccination for the capacity building/training of the health care providers on the COVID-19 vaccines storage. 11. Facilitating coordination with stakeholders to strengthen immunization system, including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic: - Facilitating coordination with the involved stakeholders, including the governmental counterparts at the national and local levels, international partners (i.e. USAID, CDC, WHO), UNICEF RO to ensure timely and efficient implementation of the project to strengthen immunization system, including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tasks and Deliverables for Immunization Consultant.docx

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… • Master’s degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Systems, Biostatistics, Biotechnology or related field. • Experience for at least one year in scientific/research including planning and conduct of population research. • Fluency in English language and ability to write quality reports on epidemiology or other related health fields; knowledge of Kazakh and Russian languages is an advantage. • Highly developed communication skills. • Ability to work in an international and multi-cultural environment. • Ability to work independently and respond to feedback in a timely and professional manner. • Excellent analytical and organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to contribute to a team. • Competencies: - Communication; - Drive for results; - General epidemiology of communicable diseases; - Vaccine epidemiology; - Advocacy and communication to ensure effective public awareness. - Analyzing; - Formulating Strategies and Concepts.

For every Child, you demonstrate… UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (https://www.unicef.org/about/unicef-culture) View our functional competencies framework Functional Competencies.pdf

Remarks: • Completion of the UN/UNICEF mandatory trainings is obligatory upon commencement of the contract. • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. • 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. • 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. • All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future. • The Individual contractor or Consultant will perform his/her duties in line with UNICEF standards and procedures. • The successful candidate will be required to have medical insurance (at his/her own cost), covering the whole period of contract, including travel. • 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. • Payment upon completion of each deliverable according to schedule. 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.