Consultant - Assist in the Implementation of the AEFI Surveillance Program for HPV Introduction 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.

Applications are invited from suitable candidates for:

Job Title: Consultant to assist in the implementation of the AEFI Surveillance Program in Identified States throughout Nigeria for HPV Introduction

Activity Internal Project #: 30142.0002.0002
Location: Abuja
Period of Performance: May 20 - June 20, 2024

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:

Note

• *Due dates subject to change subject to approval from the Activity Manager named in this scope.
• Use the "Total Deliverable Value" column if contract to be fixed price. If payments are not fixed price, please delete the "Total Deliverable Value" column.
• If using a Daily Rate Agreement with monthly payments, monthly deliverables must be added and the consultant will invoice for the completion of monthly deliverables for the number of days used to complete deliverable up to the maximum days listed in contract.
• Alternatively, if only one payment is to be made at the completion of the contract, consultant to submit final invoice for days worked up to maximum.

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
20th May, 2024.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit their CVs and Cover letter to: [email protected] using "AEFI CONSULTANT" as the subject of the mail.

Note: Any submission made after the stipulated date will not be considered.