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UNICEF is the world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, ...
Job Description
Provide: Technical Assistance to the National Immunization Program to Effectively Implement Routine Immunization and Polio Eradication Strategies
Background
Immunization remains the most cost-effective high impact intervention against vaccine preventable diseases like measles and polio and has saved millions of lives globally. While Africa has been certified polio free, the threat of polio is still present due to continued reporting of wild polio virus cases in the 2 endemic countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan and continued isolation of the circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2 in the Horn of Africa countries of Kenya, Uganda, Somalia and Ethiopia. Kenya remains at high risk of polio and measles due to low population immunity across several counties and population movements and the presence of refugees from neighboring South Sudan and Somalia.
Following the isolation of cVDPV2 from the environment in Kenya from a 11-month-old female child in November 2020 and environmental samples in December 2020, two rounds of vaccination campaigns have been conducted in 13 high risk counties with suboptimal coverage in several sub-counties being reported. The HoA countries currently plans to conduct synchronized vaccination campaign in 2022 using the novel Oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) in 2022 with countries currently ramping up efforts to increase population immunity through routine immunization including Periodic Intensified Routine Immunization (PIRI) Strategy that will ensure all routine antigens, including MR, HPV and IPV, are administered to eligible children.
Justification
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), Gavi and other donors seeks to ensure that future generations of children will be free from the threat of polio paralysis and highly infectious diseases like measles. Achieving the polio eradication goal depends on interrupting poliovirus transmission in the remaining endemic countries, ensuring rapid and effective responses to poliovirus outbreaks occurring in polio-free countries like Kenya and ensuring high vaccination coverage against polio virus. Immunization is a priority high impact intervention for UNICEF support globally and in Kenya. Based on this, UNICEF aims to support Kenya to increase population immunity against all types of polio through routine bOPV and IPV vaccination and potential deployment of nOPV2 in 2022 through nationwide vaccination campaign.
With the event of the Covid-19 pandemic the ability to continue to offer routine health services including immunization has come under severe strain leading to decline in immunization coverage across various antigens including for vaccines aimed at ensuring Kenya remains polio free. Kenya plans to undertake 4 Months of Intensified Routine Immunization Activities (PIRI) in all the 47 counties to address coverage gaps occasioned by the negative impact of covid-19 vaccine on health services including immunization and low population immunity against Polio and Measles due to the accumulation of unprotected children since 2017. Considering the complexity of the context, the risk of further outbreaks and the number of actors from UNICEF in both areas of focus and many competing priorities at the UNICEF KCO and National Immunization program, it has become necessary to have o board an experienced consultant to support UNICEF’s contribution to the National Immunization program and Polio eradication in Kenya including supporting the government to effectively implement the planned PIRI and other routine Immunization activities.
Scope of Work
Objective: Ensure timely and effective UNICEF strategic and operational support to the Nation Vaccines and Immunization Program (NVIP), that addresses the needs of the population and are aligned with the government/Ministry of Health (MOH) Routine Immunization plans and strategies and national and global polio strategic objectives for Kenya.
Activities and Tasks:
Work relationships:
Note: Due to the nature of this support and an evolving program environment, deliverables will be based on a work plan developed and approved by the National EPI manager with oversight and support by the UNICEF Kenya Health Specialist (Immunization and Child Health), upon appointment.
Payment to the consultants will be monthly upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables under an approved workplan, duly authorized by the EPI manager who is the immediate supervisor of the consultants and UNICEF Health Specialist who provides oversight of the contract. UNICEF holds a right to seek feedback from the MoH and other partners on quality of work of the post holder.
Reporting
Required Qualifications
Experience
Specific Technical Knowledge Required
Language
Competencies
Core Values (Required)
Core Competencies (Required)
General Conditions: Procedures and Logistics
Policy Both Parties Should Be Aware Of;
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