Roster of Consultants -To support National Immunization Technical Advisories Groups (NITAGs) in WHO African Region

1. Background

   Please briefly describe why the work is needed and the context.

The Vaccine Preventable Diseases Non-Communicable Diseases (VPD) Programme is part of and contributes to the work of the Universal health coverage/Communicable and non-communicable diseases (UHC/UCN) cluster in the World Health Organization African region. The strategic agenda of the cluster is to reduce disease burden in the WHO African Region, by guiding disease control agenda in Africa, and using analytics to inform strategic investments and tailored interventions for disease control, thus contributing through its country support investments to 3 disease control outcomes at country-level: improved disease programme governance; improved interventions coverage; and improved services quality. Investments towards these outcomes are guided by comprehensive whole of society, people-centred, integrated approaches to disease control. The comprehensive whole of society approach entail investments around: (a) coherent implementation of triple response – technical response: implementing diseases specific normative guidance, promoting intervention mixes and deploying medical commodities; health systems response: building capacities of district service delivery systems in disease mapping and stratification, interventions tailoring, and sector/subsector planning; and multi-sectoral response: addressing socio-economic and environmental determinants of diseases through mobilizing non-health sectors, communities and stakeholders; (b) disease control partnership of public and private sectors, health and non-health sectors; and (c) community involvement in targeted high risk communities, focused on managing determinants of diseases, health services demand creation and accountability by local health stewards. The people centred, integrated approaches to disease control involves investments around: (a) integrated guidance on disease control for each health service delivery platform, a move away from stand-alone disease specific guidance; and (b) integrated and efficient disease control investments in strengthening the capacity of appropriate health services delivery platforms through deployment of appropriate technologies and analytics to guide stratification of disease risks across population groups in order to develop and deploy comprehensive packages of interventions appropriate for each population group and health service delivery platform, as well as monitor population access, coverage and impact to leave no one behind.

The specific objectives of the UCN cluster to which the VPD programme contributes, are to: (i) provide leadership on disease control coordination, partnership and resource mobilization; (ii) contribute to the development of WHO disease control technical products, services and tools including adoption of new technologies and innovations; (iii) support generation and use of strategic information for action and decision making including optimizing investment; and (iv) provide or facilitate provision of technical support in deployment of WHO technical products and services and institutional capacity building, including support to national disease programmes and regulatory authorities. To strengthen the decision-making process in countries in immunization, the 58th World Health Assembly, as well as the African heads of members States encourage countries to establish functional advisory bodies to guide the EPI programmes and this therefore has been reflected in the different strategic plans at global and regional level for the last two decades. The National Immunization Technical advisory groups are bodies composed by multidisciplinary independent national experts, responsible for providing evidence-informed advice to policy makers and immunization programme managers on policy issues related to immunization and vaccines. The scope of NITAG’s work is to conduct the best possible review of scientific evidence related to vaccines and vaccination and provide timely, evidence-based recommendations on vaccine policy. This process brings credibility through expertise, minimize pressure from outside interest groups, and eliminate real or apparent personal conflicts of interest in conducting national immunization programmes policies and strategies designing and implementation. As of end 2021, Thirty-seven (37) countries in the African Region have established a NITAG and twenty-five (25) of them have met the WHO six basic functionality criteria.

Towards attainment of the 2030 SDGs targets for VPDs, Immunization Agenda as well as Addis Ababa declaration on Immunization, the National Immunization Technical Advisory groups (NITAGs) consultant roster will contribute to the WHO AFRO Vaccine preventable Program within UCN cluster in supporting and responding to member states needs related to NITAGs establishment and strengthening as well as development of high quality and independent evidence based recommendations for immunization programmes.

2. Deliverables

   *Outline clear tasks and deliverables, to be carried out in the framework of the background described above. These need to be time-bound and specific**.*

The consultant(s) will work with the VPD team at AFRO, IST and/or countries level to support and perform the following tasks:

Objective 1: Develop technical expertise for the establishment of independent national immunization technical advisory groups and related bodies in all African countries.

Deliverable 1: Elaborate / update National immunization technical advisory bodies’ guidance, materials and tools including annual workplan.

Deliverable 2: Draft/ adapt standards, operations procedures manuals and functional tools on NITAGs and related bodies.

Deliverable 3: Support advocacy with members states and stakeholders on evidence informed decision making on immunization and NITAG added value.

Objective 2: Build and strengthen capacity for effective NITAGs or related bodies operations and evidence to recommendation process for immunization in the WHO African region.

Deliverable 4: Assess the NITAGs and related bodies needs and recommend strategies and actions to improve the decision-making process in immunization.

Deliverable 5: Adapt NITAGs and related bodies training materials and tools.

Deliverable 6: Facilitate capacity building of NITAGs and related bodies on their role and responsibilities, operations including use of Evidence for decision making in immunization using standard guidance and tools.

Deliverable 7: Support the evidence to recommendation process including drafting recommendation framework; reviews, appraising and synthesizing evidence for high quality NITAG’s recommendation notes in the African region.

Objective 3: Assess independent Immunization decision making challenges, gaps and needs and leverage on best practices for mature NITAGs and related bodies in the African region.

Deliverable 8: Conduct NITAGs and related bodies assessment using standards protocols and tools.

Deliverable 9: Provide technical support in documenting and disseminating NITAGs and related bodies best practices including operations and evidence to recommendation process.

Objective 4: Provide technical support for the establishment of NITAGs network at sub regional and regional levels creating and maintaining a community of practice

Deliverable 10: Identify opportunities, strategies, and actions in setting up sub-regional/regional NITAG network for the creation of communities of practice in the use of evidence for decision-making and peer learning

Deliverable 11: Support NITAGs networks functionality including supporting WHO technical secretariat and logistics preparation of meetings and workshop, reports writing, monitoring of recommendations, progress, and dissemination of products to stakeholders.

3. Qualifications, experience, skills, and languages

   Identify the educational qualifications and expertise needed for the terms of reference outlined above.

Educational Qualifications: PhD in Public health, Medical Doctor/pharmacy with postgraduate degree in Public Health or related filed

Specialization in Paediatric, infectious diseases, vaccinology will be assets.

Experience

• A minimum of at least 07 years’ experience in medicine or public health with at least 3 years experiences in developing or supporting evidence-based Health and/ or immunization policies
• Experience in setting-up strategic technical advisory groups, assessing, managing, and reporting
• Trained on NITAG capacity building and familiar with training materials
• Work experience with UN agencies, NGOs or immunization related organizations

Skills/Knowledge

• Excellent organizational and analytical skills with the ability to multitask, identify and solve problems.
• Excellent skills on Evidence based decision making methods and using related tools.
• Excellent Skills in Scientific papers reviews, synthesis of findings and use for decision making.
• Good understanding of public health systems, Immunization programs in low- and middle-income countries and primary health care system.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to promote cohesive action and convince officials with tact and diplomacy.
• Excellent teamwork ability and working in a multicultural environment.
• Ability to write in a clear and concise manner and to present scientific information.

Languages and level required:

• Academic level speaking and writing in at least one of the following languages: French, English, Portuguese.

• Multilingual capacity will be an added value in supporting some countries with multiple official languages.

  4. Technical Supervision

  Indicate the name and title of the supervisor with email address.

The consultant(s) contracted will work under the identified contracting authority of WHO, which may be at the regional level (Director of UCN) and/ or VPD team lead or Assigned Staff within VPD unit; sub-regional level (Immunization team lead) or country level (WHO Country Representative) from whom, he (she) will take guidance and report.

5. Location

   Please specify where the consultant will work:

On site: Congo/Brazzaville (please indicate office and duty station)

Off site: ____________ (please indicate location/address).

On site for insurance purposes: Brazzaville Congo (please indicate location/address). (This is where a duty travel is planned during the assignment)

Consultant (s) can be deployed in any WHO African countries, at regional office or ISTs depending on requests/ needs. Remote working can be considered when situation requires.

6. Travel - *If travel is involved, full medical clearance is required Indicate here if the consultancy involves travel**;*

   Please specify any expected travel(s): dates, location, and purpose.

A living expense is payable to on-site consultants – please refer to Information Note 08/2019 for details on eligibility.

7. Remuneration and budget (travel costs excluded)

Rate [daily or monthly or for language and publishing services by word count or number of pages]: Paid by the WHO AFR

Currency: USD

Work schedule (if applicable): from beginning up to 6 months

Please refer to Information Note 09/2021 for guidance on rates for consultants.

Consultant(s) will have a P3/P4 grade, depending on the type of complexity of the task and deliverables, and paid according to the scale of the United Nations system