National Consultants (16) to support nOPV introduction vaccine managements, 03 Months, Various regions and Districts

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, a fair chance

Uganda is one of the over 190 countries and territories around the world where we work to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease, and discrimination place in a child’s path. Together with the Government of Uganda and partners we work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the objectives of the Uganda National Development Plan, and the planned outcomes of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework.

Visit this link for more information on Uganda Country Office https://www.unicef.org/uganda/

How can you make a difference?

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) aims to vaccinate children of the world against all types of polioviruses, thus creating no space for the virus to breed, leading to its extinction. The program, initiated in 1988, has achieved remarkable results, where today, wild poliovirus is endemic in only two countries — Afghanistan and Pakistan.

However, the number of outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type-2 (cVDPV2) has far exceeded global expectations in recent years. Unlike historical experience, the international spread of cVDPV2 has become extensive, with a recent spread from Chad and Central African Republic to Cameroon; Nigeria, Togo, and Ghana to Cote d’Ivoire; Nigeria to Benin, Ghana to Burkina Faso, Nigeria to Mali, Togo to Niger, Ghana and Benin to Togo, Angola to DR Congo, Pakistan to Afghanistan and recently Sudan to Uganda. Since the suspension of polio activities, including outbreak response supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) due to COVID-19, the program has faced an upsurge in the number of cases of cVDPV and an expansion in the number of outbreaks. Over the last 12 months, COVID-19 related lockdowns severely affected polio vaccination activities worldwide, with polio vaccination campaigns being delayed or cancelled in over 60 countries. The resulting number of outbreaks has far exceeded global expectations. The program currently fights 53 distinct polio outbreaks in 23 countries, including in contexts where polio-funded human resources and capacities no longer exist.

Rationale

To effectively contain cVDPV2 outbreaks, GPEI actively rolls out a new polio vaccine, nOPV2 (Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2). This new vaccine is the first to be introduced through WHO’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL) process. With proper implementation, nOPV2 is expected to reduce cVDPV2 outbreaks globally and become the vaccine of choice to respond to type 2 poliovirus outbreaks. For a successful roll-out of nOPV2, the GPEI partners need to reduce vaccine management risks as part of the EUL requirements. nOPV2 must be managed using strict stock, wastage, and temperature monitoring practices.

Unfortunately, Uganda will be using nOPV2 in the Polio outbreak response for the first time and do not have enough human resources (Vaccine Managers) readily available to be deployed for urgent support when needed. The Cold-Chain Logistics & Vaccine Management (CCL/VM) Consultant will be supporting the districts at the regional level on pre-implementation, implementation and post-implementation activities for the management of nOPV2 vaccine in the Polio outbreak response.

Distribution of the regions and districts among the 17 consultants:

The specific tasks shall include.

Tasks

In line with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) technical guidance on nOPV2 management, monitoring, removal and disposal, the consultant is expected to support, facilitate and engage the district Cold Chain technician through the district health teams in completing the following task for the successful implementation of Polio outbreak response;

Pre – Campaign Tasks;

• District micro – plan update including quantification of the nOPV2 vaccines and associated supplies (Vaccine management tools, Ziplock bag, marker e.t.c) vaccine distribution plan and transport requirement.
• Estimation of the required negative storage volume capacity for nOPV2 at the DVS and service points through the update of the cold chain inventory including space allocation, clearing and labelling of the CCEs (freezers, Cold-boxes & Vaccine Carriers) for ‘nOPV2 use only’
• Support and facilitate the functioning or provision of a back-up generators for the baking of frozen ice packs to transport nOPV2 to the service points
• Support and facilitate the districts in completing the vaccine stock ledger and requisition forms with nOPV2 vaccines and supplies receipt
• Support orientation of district health teams (DHTs) on nOPV2 vaccine management, monitoring, removal and disposal
• Facilitate and support the recruitment, orientation and monitoring of nOPV2 vaccine accountability monitors at the Subcounty level
• Facilitate and complete the weekly cold chain logistics and vaccine management checklist for the Polio OBR preparedness checklist

Campaign Tasks;

• Support, monitor and report daily nOPV2 vaccine distribution, empty vials return using the daily ‘nOPV2 daily summary sheet’
• Support, monitor and report additional nOPV2 vaccine request form using the ‘nOPV2 daily summary sheet’
• Support, monitor and report on the activity of the nOPV2 vaccine accountability monitors using the ‘nOPV2 evaluation form for vaccine accountability monitors’

Post- Campaign Tasks;

• Support, monitor and report on collection, reconciliation of partially used, used and empty nOPV2 vials from service points to district vaccine stores using the nOPV2 vaccine accountability summary form (Form A)
• Support, monitor and report on collation, review, and validation of the districts nOPV2 vaccine accountability summary form
• Support, monitor and report on collection, reconciliation, and onward reverse logistics of partially used, used and empty nOPV2 vials from District vaccine stores to the regional level for disposal using the nOPV2
• Support, monitor and report on collection, reconciliation, and onward reverse logistics of useable nOPV2 vaccine vials from the service points – district vaccine stores – Central medical store using ‘nOPV2 transfer slip for usable vials at distribution point’
• Facilitate and support the identification of waste disposal site for the empty nOPV2 vaccine vials.
• Support, monitor and report on the inactivation and disposal of empty nOPV2 vaccine vials using the ‘nOPV2 vial disposal report’
• Facilitate and support the drafting of Cold chain logistics & vaccine management activity report for the Polio outbreak response.

Routine Immunization.

• Facilitate and support the establishment of District Vaccines and Logistics working group
• Facilitate and support the monitoring and report on the routine immunization stock utilization and data management using the weekly and monthly RI stock utilization summary report
• Facilitate and support the monitoring and report on Vaccine temperature monitoring records at the district level vaccine stores
• Facilitate, support and report on the implementation of EVMA improvement plan at the district level through the district health team and district vaccine and logistics working group
• Facilitate, support, monitor and report on the cold chain repair maintenance activities including installation of new CCEs through the GAVI CCEOP support at the district level and Health facilities

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

Qualifications and Experience:

• A university degree in Public Health or Diploma in Nursing, Degree in Logistics management with relevant work experience, particularly in the planning, implementation and monitoring in EPI service delivery and EPI logistics;
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in Immunization planning and implementation
• Excellent planning and monitoring and evaluation skills and ability to plan and oversee projects.
• Expertise in working with communities and developing and disseminating information and messages
• Proven working relations with district & sub-district structures
• Knowledge of Reaching Every District/every child (RED/REC) strategy
• Good analytic skills and report writing skill
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Good interpersonal and negotiation skills

Competencies:

• Excellent facilitation skills, negotiation skills and oral and written communication skills;
• A repertoire of a wide range of facilitation approaches
• Strong qualitative and quantitative analytical skills
• Knowledge of the Uganda context is an added advantage
• Knowledge of UNICEF/GoU EPI programme is an added advantage

Language:

• Fluency in English.

Application Procedure/Call for Proposals

Interested candidates are required to submit a technical proposal on how they intend to approach the work. The proposal should include a timeline, and methodology, based on the Terms of Reference. The proposal must also include detailed CV of the consultant, as well as a financial proposal, clearly indicating daily rate for professional fees. The financial proposal must be all-inclusive of all costs (consultancy fees and where applicable air fares, airport transfers, daily living expenses). This is an international level consultancy and competitive market rates should apply.

Evaluation of Candidate:

The consultant will be competitively selected from a list of applicants based on their past experience of doing similar work (extensive experience in writing donor reports, in compiling and editing annual reports for various UNICEF offices).

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The competencies required for this post are….

View our competency framework at

http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.