Vaccine uptake programme, International specialist

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

The Covid Pandemic resulted in millions of deaths across the globe. One of the strategies to combat this pandemic is the vaccine. Fortunately, our region achieved well in most of the countries while the most vulnerable ones due to instability have not achieved the 10% in 2021 while the global target was 4%. One of the main reasons for of the failure to achieve the set target was that the communities were neither engaged in the rolling out of the vaccine nor aware of the importance of the vaccine. The Knowledge, attitude and practice study in EMR countries showed that the acceptance of the vaccine is reasonably good, but the awareness of the vaccine and the perception risk of the disease was of a great gap. The vaccine pillar of all units at EMRO is working in concerted manner to overcome all the challenges including the risk communication and community engagement. In addition, they are working with other stakeholders especially Unicef and the country teams of WHO and Unicef through Country Support Team meetings and the integrated communication team from all stakeholders call with every individual country for deep dive on the causes of the behavioral and social drivers. Therefore, Immunization and Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Polio transition (IVP) along with Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) decided to get additional hand to help in this regard. Hence, it has been decided to us eth UNVs to help in this regard. The incumbent UNV will be working under IVP in full coordination with the RCCE to achieve the required deliverables. It’s expected that the efforts of both IVP and RCCE to be more concerted and effective for improved vaccine uptake through contextualized national communication strategies and better operational plans.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of Life Course Immunization Lead or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer for Vaccine uptake programme will:

• Coordinate efforts to make vaccination services easy, client-friendly and convenient as to increase acceptance. • Liaise the IVP unit with the Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) team, and other programmes/departments in the COVID-19 vaccine pillar to take into account behavioral insights in service delivery and demand generation activities. • Facilitate EMRO IVP, RCCE and communication team coordination for joint priority planning, implementation, and product development (communication content, training materials etc). • Assist in the design of tools and collection of behavioral insights and community feedback to inform immunization programme interventions. This includes discrete data collection activities (focus group discussions, Knowledge Attitude and Practices studies, key informant interviews), as well as data collected through broader immunization related activities and assessments, such as Health Care Workers trainings, rapid coverage assessments and other (in coordination with the RCCE pillar). • Support the design and implementation of RCCE activities aimed at generating vaccine demand and addressing vaccine hesitancy (in close coordination with IVP, RCCE and other departments under the Vaccine Pillar) • Regularly review social listening reports and monitor online media for emerging issues, rumors, information voids, and report to IVP to adapt the required response (communications and other). • Prepare and regularly update country profiles on vaccine uptake considerations, including vaccine intention, barriers, and needs. • Monitor implementation of communication, social mobilization, and vaccine demand generation activities in countries, documenting best practices for publication and advocacy related purposes.
• Participate in the COVAX Demand Generation sub-working group and ensure action items and updates are actioned in coordination with IVP unit.
• Participate in country support team and demand generation meetings with priority countries, and take notes for follow-up. • Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

• Results/expected outputs;

• Concerted efforts between Immunization and Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Polio transition (IVP and Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) for the improved vaccine uptake; • Data on behavioral insights and community feedback are collected, compiled and presented in a visualized and scientific way; • Immunization programs are informed on the interventions to overcome the social barriers ; • Operational plans for the vaccine uptake and risk communication and community engagement are well supported; • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment; • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.

• Accountability
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Building Trust
• Communication
• Professionalism
• Technological Awareness
• Vision
• Working in Teams

• Experience working in patient-centered health service delivery, with a focus on quality and client-friendly services; • Experience in social and behavior change communication, or behavioral science for health and social protection programming; • Professional work experience at the national and/or international level or other relevant programmes; experience withPublic health, is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization; • Other desired/mandatory required technical knowledge • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills; • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing; • Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines;

The duty station will be Cairo, which is a family duty station with a wide range of services (health, education, and leisure) and good living conditions. Cairo (and Egypt) has long been a center of the region’s political and cultural life, with high levels of tourism. Like other similar cities, Cairo offers good quality of life in terms of access to shopping centers, banks, medical services, educational facilities, cultural events, etc.

The Arab Republic of Egypt has a unique geographical position in Northeast Africa, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, on the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, and its connection to Sub Saharan Africa through the Nile Valley. The country is defined by desert and the Nile, the longest river on Earth. Egypt is bordered by the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Gulf of Aqaba to the east, the Red Sea to the east and south, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west.

With over 90 million inhabitants, two-thirds of which are below 30 years, Egypt is Africa's third most populous country after Nigeria and Ethiopia and has the highest population in the Arab world's most densely populated areas, especially in greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta. The country has witnessed significant political and economic changes since 2011. Through this transition, which includes periods of political unrest, the main income sources of the economy have been negatively impacted, particularly in the tourism sector, as well as revenues from the Suez Canal, oil and remittances from Egyptians working abroad, affected by the global economy. However, with the current political stability, tourism is getting improved, and touristic activities are going back to normal. UN staffs are not directly targeted in Egypt and for the most are vulnerable to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is recommended to keep dwell time in the immediate vicinity of military, police and other prominent official installations to the minimum.