QUALIFICATIONS
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR A NATIONAL CONSULTANT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION SURVEY IN EQUATORIAL GUINEA
I. Context/justification
The Expanded Immunization Program (EPI) of Equatorial Guinea was created in 1986. The country has a national health policy which advocates free vaccination for all children, regardless of their socio-economic situation. economic and their place of residence. The national immunization schedule currently offers nine vaccines (BCG, HepB, DTP-HepB-Hib, OPV, VPI, VAS, AAV and Td) against 9 diseases. In addition, vitamin A is administered, and soon albendazole between 6 and 59 months.
At the national level, the EPI is structured as follows: A National Directorate within the Ministry of Health in the island region of the country and two Regional Coordination Offices in the two regions. At the peripheral level, there are 18 health districts, each with a vaccination manager. Currently, the country has 62 functional vaccination posts. Vaccination is carried out in all public health centers in the country and in some private centers; The frequency is 5/7 days a week, Monday to Friday, except weekends and public holidays.
As of today, the EPI is making great efforts to ensure the vaccination of the entire target population of the country, despite certain geographical difficulties (regions anchored between rivers, particularly in the districts of Mbini and Cogo). Vaccination is generally well accepted, although there are still some populations that are sporadically resistant to vaccines.
The last vaccination coverage survey carried out in the country dates back about six years (2016). The comprehensive multi-year plan in force expires in 2024 and the country is striving to align with other countries in the region in the development of the National Vaccination Strategy (NIS), because the national vaccination strategy, for its part, builds on the experience of the comprehensive multi-year plan, but one difference is that it is strategically focused on key actions needed to change the course of the Expanded Program on Immunization and significantly improve programmatic outcomes with a more realistic expectation resources committed.
To date, the country’s vaccination coverage estimates (WHO-UNICEF estimate) for all antigens are very low (less than 60%), in line with established targets and requirements of the international community.
According to the analyzes carried out within the framework of the Program, it was concluded that one of the main causes which prevents the country from improving its vaccination coverage, despite the “Health Enumeration” exercise in 16/18 health districts, is the lack of a recent vaccination coverage survey (according to the WUENIC team), we can no longer rely solely on administrative and official coverage. This is why the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, through the Expanded Vaccination Program, requested technical and financial support from its vaccination partners, the WHO and UNICEF, to carry out a coverage survey. vaccination in the country during the current year. 2023. This is why the Government of Equatorial Guinea,
through the Ministry of Health, plans to organize a national vaccination survey in the country, with the support of WHO and UNICEF.
Taking into account that the technical aspects of the said investigation will be coordinated at central level by an international expert recruited by the WHO; the possibility of also recruiting a national consultant to support the international expert during the preparation and implementation phases of the survey is taken into account.
II. Objectives:
Provide technical support to the international consultant in the implementation of preparation activities, implementation and monitoring/monitoring of the survey; in order to carry out a quality survey
a) Specific: Specifically, this involves:
1. The routine vaccination coverage survey
Support the international consultant in the process of estimating vaccination coverage in national and district levels for different antigens in children 0 to 11 months (BCG vaccines, OPV, combined DTP-HepB-Hib vaccine and measles vaccine);
Support the international consultant in the process of estimating vaccination coverage against tetanus and diphtheria (Td) in pregnant women;
Support the international consultant in determining the reasons for non-vaccination or incomplete vaccination of children aged 0 to 11 months and pregnant women, Contributed to the preparation
of recommendations to improve the performance of the EPI in Equatorial Guinea.
Assist the international consultant in assessing people’s knowledge of attitudes and practices regarding vaccination;
III. Main tasks of the national consultant
Under the direct responsibility of the WHO Representative and in collaboration with those responsible for WHO health programs, the General Directorate of Public Health, the National EPI Directorate and other partners (UNICEF) involved in the evaluation, the post holder will perform the following tasks:
Assist in the development of the activity timeline;
Assist in the development/adaptation of TORs/ECV protocol, including data collection tools, analysis plan and budget.
Help develop the ECV protocol, collection and analysis tools, including survey data entry masks;
Help identify and recruit ECV actors, train them (agents responsible for data collection, supervision and data entry; Support the process of testing
tools and collecting data on the field;
Ensure the coordination of ECV activities (data collection, data entry, management and analysis);
Help present the preliminary results of the ECV to members of the EPI technical group, the Technical Committee of the MoH and partners for validation;
Assist in the development of the final ECV report;
Submit the raw, cleaned and final data as well as the data exploitation keys, data collection tools and the final report on electronic media to the sponsors of the study (steering committee);
Produce and disseminate the evaluation report.
Etc…
IV. Expected deliverables: The main expected deliverables are among others:
Support in the preparation of the survey sampling plan,
Support in the procedure for selecting the clusters to visit for data collection,
Support in the implementation supervision of supervisors and investigators,
Participate in the training of data managers in collaboration with the national management of the SNIS,
Support in the coordination of data collection in the field,
Support in the coordination procedure for data entry, processing and analysis of data in collaboration with the national statistician,
Support in drafting the final survey report.
Evaluation tools and models (quantitative and qualitative) developed and approved
Preliminary report of the coverage survey;
Final report of the coverage survey
Presentation of the evaluation report on power point.
Database and dictionary of variables given to the WHO and the Ministry of Health.
Directory of zero doses and incompletely vaccinated children by district made available to the Ministry of Health for catch-up purposes.
Etc…
V. Geographical Scope
The vaccination coverage survey in question will be carried out in 10/18 health districts, at the rate of 2 districts per study area. These districts will be selected after a probabilistic drawing with a probability proportional to the
demographic weight of each district. In each district, a two-tier cluster sampling survey will be carried out as recommended by WHO. The survey will be carried out in the districts, among households and will focus on three objectives among household members: Children aged 12 to 23 months at the time of the survey; Mothers of children aged 0 to 11 months at the time of the survey and Parents of children aged 12 to 23 months at the time of the KAP survey.
VI. Duration of the mission
Two (02) months: The final evaluation report must be available no later than 60 calendar days from the date of signing the contract.
VII. Profile of the National Consultant:
The National Consultant must meet the following qualifications and skills:
Be a doctor holding a public health diploma in epidemiology or statistics
Have proven experience in conducting surveys in the field of vaccination in the public health in general;
Have at least five (5) years of experience in the field of public health, Epidemiology or Statistics-Demography;
Have an ability to work in a pressured environment, multi-task and deliver work results within required deadlines
Have excellent writing, presentation and communication skills
Ability to lead or coordinate a group of workers
Able to write technical reports in a coherent manner and present them
Have good knowledge of computers (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, EPI info, etc.)
Mastery of French language is a plus. Knowledge of other UN languages is desirable.
VIII. Grade
The consultant will be classified at WHO NOA grade and will be based in Equatorial Guinea during the investigation.
