VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

E-Zone HRM Limited is a management consulting group providing one-stop solutions to clients who seek improved and sustainable profitability through the effective use of their people and resources. We specialize in delivering innovative and value-added services that promote revenue growth and cost containment.

E-Zone HRM Limited has a formal agreement with one of the United Nations Agency to provide outsourcing services under a third-party contract.

E-Zone HRM Limited is now accepting applications from Bangladeshi Nationals for the following vacancies under third party outsourcing contract modality:

National EPI Consultant

Duty Station: Narayanganj, Dhaka South City Corporation

Contract Duration: 12 months

Number of Vacancies: 2 (Two)

Contract Type: Contract with E-Zone.              

Contract Start Date:15 January 2024

Reporting to: Health Officer- Dhaka and Mymensingh

A. Objectives

The objective of the hiring Consultants is to ensure equitable coverage and to continue supporting improving immunization coverage in 16 Districts and 8 City Corporations under the HSS3 and MACP projects, including support in the implementation of EPI and PHC activities along with the implementation of demand generation interventions. In addition, technical assistance will be provided to DGHS in implementing evidence-based planning, EPI e-tracker, and technology-based innovations to reach vulnerable children with quality and equity immunization services. This consultancy will greatly contribute to leveraging UNICEF’s priority results through DGHS in two Districts and one City Corporation under the Gavi HSS3 project.

B. Background:

Despite overall progress toward the achievement of the EPI objectives, inequities persist. In particular, the program is not yet equally reaching all children across different socioeconomic groups and geographical locations. According to the Coverage Evaluation Survey (CES), EPI performance varies significantly between districts. For example, the gap in coverage of the valid Fully Vaccinated Child (FVC) between the district with the highest (95.6% in Bhola) and the lowest (64.9% in Khagrachari) coverage was 30.7%. In terms of FVC, the gap between the hard-to-reach (HTR) (81.4%) and non-HTR (84.6%) areas was more than 3%. The immunization coverage of urban areas (79%) of Bangladesh lags by 5 percent than national Coverage (84%). This is mainly due to the dichotomy of the health service delivery, i.e., MOH&FW, local government Institutes, and the lack of dedicated vaccinators in the big Cities.

Coverage within a single district is also not uniform due to the existence of pockets of underserved communities and/or hard-to-reach geographical areas. Often, the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach children — those who need immunization the most — are consistently missed. UNICEF recognizes this inequity and has included the need to “address the immunization needs of the most disadvantaged and underserved populations” as one of its three major objectives in the UNICEF Immunization Roadmap 2018-2030 Strategy.
A critical challenge for the immunization program in Bangladesh is reaching the remaining pockets of unvaccinated and unreached children, especially in large city corporations, urban slums, high-risk groups, floating populations, and hard-to-reach areas. Data collection exercises do not track spatial distinctions of populations living in slums, which are often not factored in official statistics and are generally hidden within urban averages. UNICEF is supporting MOH in developing a comprehensive social and behavior change communication (SBCC) strategy focusing on equity in accessibility and quality by ensuring reaching out to vulnerable, hard-to-reach, and excluded populations at the sub-national level. COVID-19 vaccination is another burden for the health system, and retaining high routine coverage is facing more challenges.

EPI, DGHS is planning to expand individual tracking for Immunization based on the OpenSRP platform with equity focus District Evidence-Based Planning and Budgeting (DEPB) in 16 low-performing districts and eight city corporations under Gavi HSS3 and MACP support after successful pilot phase implementation of Immunization Tracker in Moulvibazar, and Dhaka South City Corporation. MoH has also planned to scale up the GIS-based online microplanning in 64 districts and 12 city corporations by 2024. UNICEF has received the funds from the donor and is responsible for implementing these activities. This TOR has been developed to recruit Dhaka South City Corporation, Narayanganj District, and City Corporation consultants to support Dhaka South City Corporation Authorities, Narayanganj District and City Corporation, EPI, and DGHS.

C. Scope of work

The Consultants will work to continue supporting the improvement of equitable routine immunization coverage in one District and two City corporations through equity evidence-based planning. Provide support in activities integrating EPI with PHC and implementation of SBCC-related interventions. Also, they will provide technical support to District and City Corporation authorities in implementing the EPI E-tracker, online micro plan, and technology-based innovations to reach vulnerable children with quality and equity immunization services in all 16 districts and eight city corporations. The consultancy of ‘The National EPI Specialist’ is essential to strengthening routine EPI through implementing DEPB, EPI E-Tracker, GIS-based online microplanning, TrueCover, integration with PHC, innovations, SBCC intervention, and increased coverage in hard-to-reach areas, slums and high-risk groups of children. Implementation of effective local-level evidence-based planning, which is developed with local implementers along with the implementation of appropriate innovative approaches and SBCC interventions, is crucial to achieving equitable coverage for immunization, and for that reason, intensive support in Districts and City Corporations is essential. The consultants will also provide support in the implementation of the EPI e-tracker, innovations like true cover, integration of child biometrics, online micro plan, integrated RI, and COVID-19 vaccination, and immunization DEPB in one District and two City Corporations under the Gavi HSS3, CDS, and MACP project.

D. Deliverables and Schedule

The consultant, during the contracting period, will support the Division Director, Health, District Civil Surgeons, and Chief Health Officers of City Corporations to:

  • Provide support in strengthening routine EPI microplanning through organizing periodic planning and review workshops with an equity focus DEPB tool on improving routine immunization coverage in low-performing and vulnerable areas.
  • Support the roll-out of EPI E-tracker in target districts by ensuring supply, use of tablets and mobile devices, capacity development, and monitoring the implementation plan.
  • Support the roll-out of EPI Online Microplan in target districts by ensuring supply, use of tablets and mobile devices, capacity development, and monitoring the implementation plan.
  • Support the roll-out of EPI eVLMIS in target districts by ensuring supply, use of tablets and mobile devices, capacity development, and monitoring the implementation plan.
  • Provide support to implement technology-based innovations like TrueCover, and the introduction of biometrics for children under one year to increase immunization coverage.
  • Support divisional and district authorities for effective planning, roll-out, implementation monitoring, and supportive supervision of COVID-19 vaccination, including 5 – 17 years of vaccination.
  • Support divisional and district authorities for effective planning, roll-out, implementation monitoring, and supportive supervision of the HPV vaccination campaign.
  • Provide support in developing and implementing effective SBCC interventions as per the developed SBCC strategy, including a communication action plan to increase demand for immunization in coordination with SBC colleagues.
  • Support in capacity Building and supportive supervision of service providers with attention to adherence guidelines and stock management.
  • Monitor routine EPI sessions in low-performing and vulnerable areas, routine reporting, CCE inventory, and VLMIS in DHIS2. Prepare monitoring reports and share those with Divisional, District/City Corporation, and Upazila/Zonal Health Managers
  • Conduct Rapid Coverage Assessment (RCA) for routine EPI doses and COVID-19 vaccination in Hard-to-Reach or High-Risk areas of the district and City Corporation and prepare a report with specific actions.
  • Joint field visit with health managers and field monitoring report with follow-up action
  • Data quality assessment of EPI E-tracker, including desk review, field monitoring, and cross-checking with register book and EPI card.
  • Monthly review of progress on improving immunization coverage with equity
  • Support in coordination with the SBC team in using appropriate IEC materials and training of different workers, group members, volunteers, and CHWs networks to build their capacity to counsel and mobilize beneficiaries for immunization.
  • Support in updating online VLMIS data, including COVID-19 vaccination and inventory of cold chain equipment, including new registration, update, reporting temperature alarm, repair, and maintenance information.
  • Support the conduct of the HPV campaign and new vaccine introduction at Divisional, District, and City Corporation.

E.  Reporting Requirement

The consultant based in Narayanganj will report to the Health Officer, Mymensingh Field Office, and the consultant based in Dhaka South City Corporation will report to the Health Officer (C&E), Dhaka, and overall to the Immunization Specialist, Dhaka. The assignment is designed for the duration of 12 months, where the below tasks are expected:

  • Report on the progress status of evidence-based EPI micro plan implementation
  • Monthly report on DEPB and EPI status for each unit
  • Immunization E-tracker implementation progress report
  • EPI GIS-Based Online Microplan implementation progress report.
  • eVLMIS implementation progress report
  • Report on EPI session monitoring and supportive supervision report.
  • RCA report with the plan of corrective action.
  • Progress report of corrective actions planned in RCA report.
  • Progress on HPV vaccination, including child vaccination.
  • Progress on COVID-19 vaccination, including child vaccination.
  • Status update on integrated RI and COVID-19 vaccination
  • DQSA report on vaccine use
  • Report on the progress of the integration of EPI with PHC
  • Progress report of SBCC intervention implementation along with communication action plan
  • Progress report on the implementation of TrueCover and child biometric
  • Quarterly review meeting report
  • Final deliverable report

F.  Consultancy Costs

  1. The consultant will be located at Narayanganj and Dhaka South City Corporation.
  2. The consultant based in Narayanganj will report to the Health Officer- Mymensingh FO, and the Consultant based in Dhaka South City Corporation will report to the Health Officer- Dhaka (C&E), overall, they will report to the Immunization Specialist, Dhaka
  3. Consultant will get BDT 250,000 per month (Salary BDT 210,000 &TA/DSA BDT 40,000) consolidated, including travel and DSA; other cost communication equipment, PC etc., are bear by the consultant.
  4. Office place: the working station will be in the Director- Health/Civil Surgeon/Chief Health Officer’s office.
  5. Computer and communication will bear by the Consultant
  6. Stationary and other office equipment will bear by the Consultant
  7. Travel costs and travel arrangements in the field will be bear by the consultant
  8. The consultants will be responsible for paying all taxes as per government rules and regulations. E-Zone will make statutory deductions towards income tax as per government rules and regulations.

G.  Qualification requirements

  • A University Degree in medicine, public health, health research, health policy and/or management, health education, epidemiology, information technology, or other health-related sciences is required.
  • A minimum of 7 years of professional work experience in public health planning and management and in relevant areas of maternal and child health programs, preferably in the immunization program and information technology.
  • Preference would be given to candidates with working experience in developing equity focus EPI microplanning, strengthening immunization, health-related information technology implementation, and implementation of individual tracker.
  • Working experience and familiarity with the health program of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, international organizations, or any other agencies will be an asset
  • Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of software development is an added advantage

 

This position is open for Bangladeshi Nationals only. All candidates, irrespective of gender, religious and ethnic backgrounds can apply for the vacancies.

The UN Agency prides itself as fostering a multicultural and harmonious work environment, guaranteed by a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, and on any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment and discrimination. All selected consultants will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Candidates with the required profile and proven experience, who meet these qualifications, are invited to submit their application by completing the screening questions and submitting a meaningful cover letter, updated CV, recent PP size photograph through below link:
https://forms.gle/aguwCuDpaLgfDFHK6

Last Date of Application: 28 December, 2023

No phone calls please. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. All applications will be treated according to the merit and with strict confidentiality.