VPD Surveillance Consultant at the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET)

The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is a non-profit networking and service alliance of Field Epidemiology (and Laboratory) Training Programs (FELTPs), and other applied epidemiology training programs. AFENET has operations in over 31 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa or the World Health Organisation Africa Region (WHO - AFRO). Established in 2005, AFENET is dedicated to helping Ministries of Health in Africa build strong, effective, sustainable programs and capacity to improve public health systems on the African continent.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: VPD Surveillance Consultant

Location: Abuja
Work Hours: Full time
Duration of contract: 12 months
Open to: All  Interested Candidates

Details

• The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) through the National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) Program seeks the services of a consultant to support The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Major Duties and Responsibilities
Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) surveillance system strengthening - with focus on Measles, rubella, CRS, yellow fever, diphtheria, and any other VPD prioritized by NCDC:

• Provide technical expertise and support to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and work with other participating partners in the strengthening of routine disease surveillance and information systems and outbreak investigations. This will include collaboration on surveillance strengthening and capacity building initiatives proposed in the country operational plans.
•  Conduct surveillance system evaluation to include reviewing and contributing to the development of VPDs surveillance operational guidance and case definitions; assessing quality of case investigations, including field implementation of case definitions and laboratory specimen collection, preparation, and transport; identifying surveillance knowledge gaps at all levels; and assessing surveillance performance quality indicators.
• Assist NCDC in analyzing VPD epidemiologic and laboratory data (to include measles, yellow fever, rubella, CRS, yellow fever, diphtheria, and any other VPD prioritized by NCDC) and optimizing standard analyses to be useful for immunization program monitoring and strategy development.
• Conduct retrospective analyses of existing data to determine root causes of surveillance gaps, and will assess interpretation, use, and integration of surveillance information into the national response. He/she will assist in improving routine VPD surveillance reports and automation of their generation and distribution to partners at the LGA, State, National and International levels.
• Collaborate on the refinement of standards and policies for the national reporting of VPD surveillance activities, including designing and implementing methods for improving data quality, completeness, accuracy, and timeliness.
• Document data collection protocols, database architecture, data workflow, query and analysis techniques for specific data sets or data uses, identifies data quality issues, and makes recommendations for improvement. Specifically, for rubella, the incumbent will support the strengthening of rubella data analyses collected in the measles surveillance system and will assist in the initiation and monitoring of the CRS sentinel surveillance system.
• Support capacity building of surveillance staff at NCDC and provide support to facilitate transition from current paper based VPD surveillance reporting system to reporting via SORMAS electronic data collection platform. Additionally, he/she will work with EPI managers and partners to select optimal indicators for non-polio campaign preparation and implementation and then make recommendations for data aggregation in real time.

Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) outbreak response capacity building - with focus on Measles, rubella, CRS, yellow fever, diphtheria, and any other VPD prioritized by NCDC:

• Provide technical expertise and support to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and work with other participating partners in the strengthening of outbreak response capacity for all VPDs including:
  • Development of outbreak response guidelines for diseases with common outbreaks, such as measles,
  • Developing training curricula for outbreak response and supporting training at the national and subnational levels,
  • Developing the capacity of SORMAS to detect and notify VPD outbreaks,
  • Developing an outbreak data base for VPDs such as measles which have frequent outbreaks, to analyze outbreak patterns
  • Supporting NCDC and other partners in VPD outbreak response

VPD Surveillance System Staff Capacity Building:

• Design and implement epidemiologic analysis training using Epi Info and excel or other programs as applicable, with staff from national surveillance department and immunization program.
• Work with surveillance officers at all levels to develop more viable implementation procedures for surveillance strengthening and will coordinate with staff to make needed changes. The incumbent will provide support for capacity building within NCDC to improve data collection, reporting, and analysis.
• Provide support to NCDC to facilitate transition from current paper based VPD surveillance reporting system to reporting via SORMAS electronic data collection platform; will assess gaps in technical skills of surveillance officers at the various levels and will facilitate the development and implementation of related trainings.

Dissemination of Surveillance Information:

• Prepare comprehensive reports of national VPD surveillance system analyses, which will include assessing the adequacy and quality of data; providing explanation of the methodologies and analyses used; collating and reporting summary of the results; and providing suggestions for designing more effective surveillance programs.
• Support the weekly surveillance report to ensure the quality and correctness of the report.
• Work closely with partners across other immunization technical program areas to make sure that NCDC surveillance systems provide targeted information that are useful in supporting program planning, policy development, advocacy, and impact evaluation.
• Assist in assuring timely distribution of useful measles, yellow fever, rubella, and CRS information to partners at the LGA, State, National, and International levels.
• Prepare reports for presentation to professional groups and for publication in professional journals.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Certifications, License, or other Expertise Required
Education Pre-requisite:

• Master's Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Veterinary Epidemiology, or related field.
• First Degree in Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, or related field
• Desired: Post-graduate training through a field epidemiology training program or the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) is desired.
• At least 5 years of field experience in vaccine preventable disease and Nigeria field experience.

Knowledge Requirements:

• Language proficiency in English Knowledge of Hausa is an added advantage.
• Job knowledge: strong technical knowledge in public health, epidemiology, routine immunization, SIAs, disease outbreak investigation, data collection and management and data analysis.

Skills and Abilities:

• Skills in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Access
• Demonstrated strong analytical skills; ability to clearly communicate orally and in writing
• Ability to engage in successful interaction; extensive contact with members of national and local partner organizations (WHO, UNICEF, Ministries of Health).

Application Closing Date
15th August, 2023.