Public Health Officer - COVID-19 Vaccine, Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Surveillance (SSA)

Overview

Provide technical support for AEFI surveillance related to COVID-19 vaccination.

You have:

• University degree in Medicine, Health sciences or related field
• At least five (5) years of working experience in public health surveillance, pharmacovigilance and/or implementation of clinical trials.
• Excellent knowledge of English or French.
• Experience within the health system in Rwanda at national and subnational level
• Working experience in routine immunization program implementation, AEFIs surveillance and response.

Contract

This is a No grade contract. More about No grade contracts.

Position Title: Public Health Officer – COVID-19 Vaccine

Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Surveillance

Grade: NOC

Duty Station: Kigali

Organization: World Health Organization

First Level Supervisor: WHO EPI focal point

Second Level Supervisor: WHO Representative

1. Background and Justification

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the countries’ economies and social progress in all parts of the world. To respond to this unprecedented pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with other partners is supporting the global efforts to accelerate the development, fair and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX Facility and COVAX Advanced Market Commitment (AMC) established to support low income countries.

With these efforts, three vaccine candidates have completed the phase three clinical of evaluation and have been granted NRAs approvals for emergency use. The vaccines are being used in the USA and some countries of Europe.

Rwanda is among the countries supported by COVAX/AMC, expecting to receive the first shipments of vaccines by the first quarter of 2021 and vaccinate 23.6% of the population by the end of 2021, and is preparing for the introduction by April 2021

The introduction of COVID-19 vaccination varies greatly from routine immunization as both the target population (prioritized groups of all ages vs. children) and implementation strategies (large campaigns occurring simultaneously through Rwanda with prioritized groups vs on-going routine immunization) will be different. In addition, the deployment and administration may involve more vaccines with different presentations, from different manufacturers, and use of new technologies never licensed, against a novel pathogen with many unknowns. This highlights the complexity of COVID-19 vaccines safety monitoring requiring the establishment of a robust Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) surveillance system with capacities to timely respond to COVID-19 vaccine AEFIs cases.

It is in this context that the Government of Rwanda has expressed the need for additional staff to support planning for strengthening the routine AEFIs surveillance system to ensure COVID-19 vaccine related AEFIs and adverse events of special interest (AESI) will be timely detected, investigated and analyzed for appropriate response to minimize the negative impact of these events on the immunization program and maintain the public confidence

*Purpose of the Position

The incumbent will provide technical support for planning and monitoring AEFI surveillance systems for the management of increased frequency or severity of AEFIs (mild, moderate and severe). This includes enhancing capacity of the existing AEFI surveillance system for timely reporting, investigation and response to COVID-19 vaccine related AEFIs or AESIs.

2. Job Description

Organizational context

Under the overall guidance of WHO Representative Rwanda, and the direct supervision of the WHO EPI focal point, in collaboration with the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC)/ Maternal Child and Community Health(MCCH) division and Rwanda Food and Drug Authority (RFDA)/ Pharmacovigilance and safety monitoring division, the incumbent will provide support to strengthen the capacity of the existing AEFI surveillance system for appropriate response to COVID-19 vaccines AEFIs or AESIs

Summary of Assigned Duties

The incumbent will perform the following duties

1. Provide technical support for the assessment of the existing AEFI surveillance system to identify gaps and develop a plan of activities to address the challenges
2. Provide technical support for the development/adaptation of pharmacovigilance guidelines, SOPs and tools for planning and conducting vaccine pharmacovigilance activities
3. Support capacity building of national and subnational health professional on AEFI and AESI surveillance, investigation and response
4. Organize training of the AEFI committee for the review COVID-19 vaccines safety data
5. Support to define roles and responsibilities and establish a coordination mechanism between relevant stakeholders for exchange of COVID-19 Vaccine safety information, define and secure channels of data sharing mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccine safety data and findings with relevant regional and international partners.
6. Provide technical guidance and advice for establishing compensation schemes in case of unintended health consequences as result of vaccines, including no-fault liability funds.
7. Provide technical support for the development of AEFI crisis management plan and risk communication
8. Liaise with the communication experts to ensure vaccine safety issues are taken into consideration in communication planning and key messages are prepared for the management of misinformation surrounding COVID-19 vaccine
9. Liaise with communication experts to assist in the training of focal points for vaccine safety at sub-national level on how to identify and respond to vaccine safety issues on social media
10. Perform any other COVID-19 vaccination related activities as requested by the WR, and the immediate supervisor

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3. Recruitment Profile

Competencies

• • Producing results
  • Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences*
  • Teamwork
  • Promoting innovation and organizational learning
  • Communication
  • Building and promoting partnerships across the Organization and beyond

Functional Knowledge and Skills

• Technical expertise in planning, monitoring and evaluation of health program,
• Ability to work effectively with colleagues at sub-national, national and international levels

• Experience within the health system in Rwanda at national and subnational level

• Excellent communication and presentation skills with ability to write in a clear and concise manner

• Proven ability to promote consensus, communicate progress and results, and resolve issues in a proactive manner, while ensuring effective work practices and ethics.

Education Qualifications

• Essential

University degree in Medicine, Health sciences or related field

Desirable

Advanced university degree in Public Health or Epidemiology

Experience

• Essential

At least five (5) years of working experience in public health surveillance, pharmacovigilance and/or implementation of clinical trials.

• Desirable

Working experience in routine immunization program implementation, AEFIs surveillance and response.

Previous experience with WHO, other UN agencies, health cluster partners, recognized humanitarian organizations or a non-governmental organization.

Use of Language Skills

Excellent knowledge of English or French.

Other Skills

Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 5 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: who.int