Technical Assistant Focal Point of the Health Zone for the Measles-Rubella Vaccine Introduction
Context:
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is experiencing a significant delay in achieving some of the immunization targets, due to several challenges, including low coverage of fully vaccinated children. According to the 2018 MICS survey: Full vaccination coverage was 35% across the country, with disparities between provinces (Mongala: 8.2%; Tshuapa: 15.4%, Kinshasa: 41.9%; Kongo Central: 48%; North Kivu: 79.2%). According to the 2023 vaccination coverage survey organized by the Kinshasa School of Public Health, the basic complete vaccination coverage was 35% for the country as a whole. According to the DHS 2023-2024: the basic complete vaccination coverage was 20.9% for the whole country. The results show that at least two out of ten children have still not been vaccinated, including half of the children in Mongala and Sud-Ubangi.
Several factors have contributed to this situation, including recurrent vaccine stock-outs, low coverage of cold chain equipment, inaccessible vaccination sites due to geographical constraints, insufficient number of staff trained in EPI management, low demand generation.
To address these challenges, the government and its partners have developed the National Immunization Strategy 2025-2030, which responds to the vision of universal health coverage of the DRC included in the PNDS 2024-2033 and the global vision of immunization by 2030. Several strategies have been developed to reduce the number of zero-dose and under-vaccinated children. These include the Big Catch Up, IPVS, urban strategy, vaccination to all contacts, etc.
To support the Ministry of Health and the EPI in the implementation of these strategies, Village Reach provides technical assistance at the central and provincial levels. At the provincial level, Village Reach provides technical assistance in Mongala, Maindombe, Tshopo, Haut-Katanga, Haut-Lomami and Tanganyika.
Job Summary
The twenty-six (26) Focal Points at the targeted Health Zone will provide technical assistance to the targeted health zones in the following provinces: Haut-Katanga, Haut-Lomami, Lualaba and Tanganyika in relation to the planning, coordination and effective monitoring of the implementation of the vaccination program with all these innovative strategies at the level of the respective Health Zones.
Main responsibilities
Planning and coordination:
- Support the Health Zone Management Teams (ECZ) in campaign planning, including micro-planning, the timeline of activities over the 3 phases (before, during and after), mapping of stakeholders and interventions, planning of inventories and logistical needs, coordination of training, mapping of community where there is vaccine hesitancy and resistance, the communication plan, the budget, as well as the list of community and traditional leaders .
- Support the ECZ in understanding the standards and guidelines for Measles and Rubella catch-up campaigns; as well as the introduction of the MR vaccine by ensuring that national guidelines are translated effectively at the local level.
- Participate in technical coordination meetings at the Health Zone level (ECZ, CLC, monitoring and validation of data), and contribute to periodic program evaluations (PEV review, etc.) by contributing to the logistics recovery plan.
- Support the development of a post-campaign integration plan for measles vaccination into routine immunization
- Participate in all preparatory activities for the introduction of the new RR vaccine.
Monitoring and supervision:
- Support monitoring of the implementation of the recovery plan for previous vaccination campaigns.
- Contribute to the organization of meetings, the drafting of sitreps and various reports, updating of the dashboard for the preparation of catch-up campaigns and the introduction of the new MR vaccine.
- Conduct supportive supervision of vaccination teams with immediate corrective actions.
- Ensure daily monitoring of activities before, during and after vaccination campaigns including monitoring and management of AEFI.
- Contribute to the organization of post-campaign evaluations.
- Participate in convenience monitoring during vaccination campaigns.
Social mobilization:
- Collaborate with community leaders, other sectors related to Health (Education, Agriculture, fisheries and livestock, interior, hydraulics, etc. ), schools and local media to raise awareness among the population.
- Monitor the implementation of the integrated communication plan (ICP)
- Ensure that vulnerable or hard-to-reach groups are taken into account (children not in school, displaced people, in mines, camps, etc.).
- Contribute to updating the mapping and identifying Zero Dose Children and Under-Vaccinated Children.
Logistics and input management:
- Support the coordination of vaccine and consumable distribution up to the last mile of use and storage with partners and health teams.
- Ensure the proper functioning of the cold chain (preventive maintenance of the cold chain) and the recycling of cooled water accumulators.
- Contribute to the development of a plan for the correct management of biomedical waste.
- Support the development of the equipment contingency plan.
Vaccine surveillance and safety:
- Participate in the monitoring of adverse events following vaccination (AEPI).
- Ensure prompt reporting of suspected cases of measles or rubella during and after the campaign.
Reports:
- Prepare timely technical updates, field visit reports and a final report summarizing key findings, lessons learned and recommendations.
- Regularly share deliverable with supervisors.
Qualifications and expérience required:
- Postgraduate degree in public health, field epidemiology, nursing, medicine or a related field.
- At least 5 years of experience in implementing vaccination programs, preferably with experience in Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs).
- Experience supporting polio, measles, yellow fever or other vaccine campaigns at the national or subnational level.
- Knowledge of campaign guidelines and monitoring frameworks.
- Strong skills in training, coordination, data analysis and report writing.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in multicultural environments
- Proficiency in computer tools, particularly Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, SMT, DHIS 2)
- Fluency in Swahili and French. Fluency in English is an asset.
Location: Prioritization exercise is underway in each of the 4 priority provinces (Haut-Lomami, Haut-Katanga, Lualaba and Tanganyika), in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to identify the critical health zones.
Duration: 3-4 months
Type: Consultant / Temporary Technical Assistance under the supervision of provincial level technical assistants based at the EPI Antenna level, with functional liaison to the national coordinator.
