Consultant - Implementation of the AEFI Surveillance Program at John Snow Incorporated (JSI)

John Snow Incorporated (JSI) - We are public health care and health systems consultants and researchers driven by a passion to improve health services and health outcomes for all.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant to Assist in the Implementation of the AEFI Surveillance Program in Identified States Throughout Nigeria for HPV Introduction

Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Employment Type: Full-time
Period of Performance:  May 20-June 20, 2024
Activity Manager: Professor Amos Bassi
Activity Internal Project #:  [30142.0002.0002]

Scope of Work and Deliverables
Services / Scope of Work:

• The Contractor shall use all reasonable efforts to perform the following services in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this agreement

Background

• HPV Vaccine Acceleration Program Partners Initiative (HAPPI) consortium is a project that aims to accelerate the uptake of HPV vaccines among girls and adolescents worldwide. The project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and combines expertise in policy, access, introduction, implementation, and evaluation and learning to achieve its goals. Cervical cancer is a major disease of public health concern globally.
• Cervical cancer is a major disease of public health concern globally. In 2020, an estimated 604,237 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer worldwide with about 341,843 women dying, 90% of whom were in less-developed regions of the world, where access to prevention, screening, and treatment services is severely limited. In Sub-Saharan African countries, including Nigeria, cervical cancer ranks as the second most frequent cancer among women, posing significant health and socio-economic risk to the population.
• With the support of Gavi, the Government of Nigeria has introduced the HPV vaccine nationwide targeting 9–14-year-olds in a phased approach beginning in October 2024. 16 states introduced the vaccine during this initial rollout of the vaccine and the second phase of the vaccine introduction for the remaining 21 states is scheduled to be conducted in May 2024. During the first phase of the vaccine introduction, the states introduced the vaccine with a 5-day MAC campaign which was followed by the immediate addition of the vaccine to the routine immunization available in primary health care facilities.
• Vaccine safety surveillance is essential in vaccination programs. Nigeria has a national health system to investigate and collect AEFI reports, however the system is not very sensitive to detect and report  all AEFIs. Hence, it is important to strengthen the national AEFI reporting system including AEFI following HPV vaccines. For this support, JSI is hiring two consultants to help in strengthening AEFI surveillance in the second phase of HPVVI.

Objectives

• The main objective of this consultancy is to provide technical assistance to NPHCDA to strengthen the AEFI surveillance system in Nigeria.

The specific objectives are:

• Improve reporting and investigation of AEFI cases during and after the MAC campaign for the HPV introduction
• Support management of serious AEFI due to HPV vaccines if it happens during and after the MAC campaign
• Strengthen AEFI surveillance system at subnational level

Activities:

• Assist states (and LGAs) to strengthen early notification, reporting and investigation of AEFIs in standard formats.
• Provide regular feedback to states /LGAs on reported AEFI cases and performance of AEFI surveillance Programme.
• Follow-up with States/LGAs for pending documents, ensure preliminary screening followed by completion of documentation of reported cases from zone for causality assessment.
• Undertake field visits to states and LGAs for monitoring AEFI activities, coordinate investigation of serious AEFI of special interest and provide feedback to the Immunization Division (SMoH/SPHCDAs)/  Provide support to strengthen AEFI committees in states.
• Assist in strategic planning and management of AEFI activities in states and LGAs including research and M&E for AEFI.
• Analyze AEFI data and identify action points/policy changes to minimize AEFI due to program errors and report to NPHCDA
• Implement capacity building activities for state AEFI committees (especially in causality assessment), HCWs  and LGA immunization officers to undertake AEFI-related training sessions.
• Coordinate media management workshops at the National level for media persons and civil society organizations. Coordination with National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for immunization Safety.
• Coordinate with NPHCDA, NAFDAC and other partners and develop Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) or subnational guideline for AEFI reporting and investigation for Nigeria

Deliverables and Schedule
The Contractor is responsible for the timely submission of the following deliverables, as part of the SOW:

*Due dates subject to change subject to approval from the Activity Manager named in this scope

Consultant Qualifications

• Education: MBBS with 10+ experiences in public health programme management.
• If the candidate is post graduate in public health then the duration of post-graduation, shall be counted as experience post MBBS.
• A candidate with MPH/MD is preferred.
• Should have knowledge of statistical analysis, ability to compile and analyze large scale and diverse data and ability to share information harmoniously with multiple partners and work in a multicultural team environment.
• Experience in immunization preferably new vaccine introduction and vaccine safety, AEFI surveillance.

Application Closing Date
14th April, 2024.