Technical Logistics Assistants 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, VillageReach provides technical assistance at the central and provincial levels. At the provincial level, VillageReach provides technical assistance in Mongala, Maindombe, Tshopo, Haut-Katanga, Haut-Lomami and Tanganyika .
Job Summary
The four technical logistics assistants will provide essential support to the EPI branches of the four priority provinces (Haut-Katanga, Haut-Lomami, Lualaba and Tanganyika) for the planning, coordination and monitoring of logistics and cold chain operations. They will ensure that all logistical achievements are maintained, logistical deliverables are delivered on time to facilitate urgent and consequential actions, all of which should contribute to improving vaccine availability and the quality of vaccination services.
Main responsibilities
1. Planning and coordination
- Support the planning of logistics activities and the estimation of vaccine and other vaccination input needs.
- Participate in the assessment of logistical needs and inventory counts.
- Support the coordination of vaccine distribution up to the last mile of use and storage with partners and health teams.
- Support the development of decentralized, shorter and more efficient supply chains to reach the most remote health facilities.
- Work closely with the Provincial Health Division, the Chief Medical Officer, WHO, UNICEF and other partners present in the province to ensure a coherent approach. Participate in technical coordination meetings at the provincial level (CCPEV, CPC, CLC), and contribute to periodic program evaluations (EPI review, etc.) by providing input into the logistics recovery plan.
2. Cold chain and vaccine management
- Assess cold chain capacity and participate in quarterly inventories of cold chain materials/equipment.
- Ensure that vaccine management issues are identified and actively addressed at the local level.
- Assist the EPI antenna manager in efficiently managing arrivals, storage, monitoring and temperature control during storage.
- Support the weekly inventory of vaccines and injection equipment from health zone antennas and depots.
- Monitor and support cold chain maintenance (prevention and repairs) as well as the development of the equipment emergency plan.
- Apply vaccine management protocols (VMH guide, use of VVMs).
3. Support for logistical implementation
- Assist the EPI vaccine manager in monitoring vaccine inventory management through the SMT and reception.
- Track the delivery of vaccines and supplies to vaccination sites.
- Support the logistics of transportation, waste management and stock return.
- Contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of vaccine supply chain performance (collection and analysis of logistics data, stock indicators, coverage rates, etc.).
4. Capacity building and supervision
- Support and train logisticians from the provincial EPI, EPI branches and Health Zones through on-the-ground mentoring (transfer of skills) on logistics, order planning, vaccine stock management, cold chain maintenance and equipment maintenance.
- Conduct regular supervisory visits to health zones and health centers in the province to assess vaccine management practices, identify weaknesses and coach staff to provide immediate solutions
- Ensure the correct use of monitoring tools (stock sheets, time sheet, temperature sheet, use and operation of temperature monitors).
5. Reports
- Collect and compile logistics data for daily/weekly reports.
- Contribute to post-campaign evaluation (stock reconciliation, waste management).
- Write the final technical report with lessons learned and recommendations.
Qualifications and experience required
- Diploma in vaccination logistics (Logivac), supply chain, public health, pharmacy or related field.
- Minimum 2 years of experience in health logistics, ideally during vaccination campaigns.
- Knowledge of the cold chain system and vaccine management protocols.
- Strong organizational and communication skills.
- Ability to work in a team and under pressure in the field.
- Proficiency in computer tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, SMT, DHIS 2).
- Fluency in Swahili and French. English is an asset.
Expected deliverables
- Contribute to filling in the Dashboard of preparations for the campaign against measles and rubella, as well as the Sitreps of the EPI Antennas/Health Zones including the analysis of data during and after the campaign.
- Annual plan of logistics activities and estimation of vaccine and injection equipment needs, validated RR monitoring campaign microplans.
- Vaccine and injection equipment distribution plan for subscribers
- Quarterly inventory report of cold chain materials and equipment.
- Monthly vaccine and injection equipment management analysis reports attached to the SMT.
- Minutes of coordination meetings
- Waste management plan for the Measles and Rubella vaccination campaign at the EPI branches and targeted Health Zones
- Formative supervision reports with recommendations and immediate corrective actions
- Report of training sessions supported by logistics and mentoring report
- Contribute to the writing of the narrative report (EPI Antennas and Health Zones) of the vaccination campaign against Measles and Rubella.
- Consolidated final report including results, indicators, lessons learned and recommendations.
📍 Location : with occasional travel to health zones as needed.
- Lubumbashi (Haut-Katanga)
📅 Duration: 4 months
Type : Consultant / Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA)
Supervision : Provincial Coordinator, with functional liaison to the National Coordinator and NGCA+ specialists
