Overview
Provide strategic and technical assistance to National Immunization Programmes, focusing on immunization systems strengthening, outbreak response, and surveillance enhancement.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide technical support to complete and endorse National Immunization Strategy (NIS) documents for MHL and PLW.
- Support development of costed operational plans and monitoring frameworks.
- Facilitate national EPI technical working group meetings.
- Support design, micro planning, implementation, and monitoring of SIAs and catch-up campaigns.
- Conduct pre-SIA readiness assessments, intra campaign monitoring, and post campaign coverage surveys.
- Document lessons learned and recommend improvements for future campaigns.
- Review and update national immunization guidelines.
- Support immunity gap analyses and develop targeted strategies.
- Strengthen routine data verification, analysis, and feedback mechanisms.
- Train EPI staff on data quality audits, coverage monitoring, and equity assessment.
- Revitalize and institutionalise monthly surveillance performance review meetings.
- Strengthen hospital‑based active surveillance systems.
- Update measles-rubella outbreak preparedness and response plans.
- Provide direct technical support to the Pohnpei pertussis outbreak response.
- Conduct rapid risk assessments and guide expansion of response.
- Document outbreak epidemiology and response outcomes.
- Develop or finalise national AEFI guidelines.
- Conduct training for health workers on AEFI detection, reporting, and causality assessment.
- Monitor AEFI surveillance implementation and provide feedback.
- Enhance the use of standardised indicators and reporting tools.
- Conduct regular data quality assessments and provide onsite mentoring.
- Support the adoption and utilisation of relevant surveillance data systems.
- Conduct a multi country assessment of measles immunity gaps, cold chain capacity, surveillance sensitivity, and rapid response team readiness.
- Identify specific vulnerabilities in light of increased importation risk.
- Revise and test national measles outbreak response plans.
- Train surveillance officers and rapid response teams on measles case investigation and response.
- Conduct supportive supervision visits to high-risk areas.
- Support development of targeted information, education and communication (IEC) materials.
- Submit monthly progress reports.
- Prepare an end of mission report.
Required Experience
- At least seven years of relevant experience in immunization programmes and VPD surveillance at country level.
- Demonstrated experience in national immunization strategy development, SIAs, and AEFI and HBAS system strengthening.
- Proven ability to conduct data analysis, produce high quality technical reports, and translate evidence into policy and practice.
- Working experience with WHO or UNICEF country offices (desirable).
- Experience in Pacific Island countries or small island developing states (desirable).
- Practical experience in outbreak response (pertussis, measles) (desirable).
Qualifications
- Postgraduate degree in public health, nursing, medicine, epidemiology, or a related field from a recognized university.
- Formal training in Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) (desirable).
