Thailand: Consultancy – Mapping and Documentation on Immunization Equity

Consultancy – Mapping and Documentation on Immunization EquityThe Young Child Survival and Development (YCSD) section, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office is seeking an individual consultant to map out country level equity analysis undertaken and used, and to systematically review, consolidate and document the regional progress and lessons learned towards reducing immunization inequity.

Work Assignment:

Prior to country missions: 1) To develop methodology and instruments for review and documentation of country progress in the discussed area. Bottleneck analysis/determinants framework developed by UNICEF should be considered in the process.

During a country mission:

2) To conduct desk review to familiarize with the country contexts, including immunization systems, programme priorities and if any relevant equity-sensitive policies or plans in place.

3) To collect information applying the standard instruments, through field visits and interviews. Sites for visit may include National Immunization Programme, Health departments/offices at subnational levels, health facilities delivering immunization services and vulnerable communities; and people for interview may include government staff under different capacities (e.g. decision-makers, the expanded programme on immunization (EPI) managers, implementers at both national and subnational levels), health workers, community leaders and parents.

4) To analyze and synthesize the information collected; and develop a country summary on progress and lessons learned in addressing immunization equity issue at national and subnational levels in each of the selected countries. A more detail documentation of the Indonesia’s recent efforts in raising coverage among the urban poor is expected in response to a request from the UNICEF Indonesia.

After completing the planned country missions:

5) To finalize country summary reports, by incorporating inputs from Ministry of Health (MOHs), partners and relevant UNICEF country offices and EAPRO.

6) Build on the above work, to draft a regional publication paper and a regional advocacy document in line with reducing immunization inequity in the region.

Main Tasks

• Preparation

Task Details

• Develop methodology/instruments

Deliverables

• Information collection tools developed

Due date

• 15 September 2015

Main Tasks

• Country visits and in-country consultations

Task Details

• Collect information through
• visit health facilities and communities;
• interview health staff at each level, families, and key partners;
• Undertake analysis of country information and prepare country reports

Deliverables

• Draft versions of country summary reports

Due date

• End December 2015

Main Tasks

• Analysis and writing up

Task Details

• Continue analysis of country information, refine country reports

Deliverables

• Finalized versions of country summary reports

Due date

• 15 January 2016

Main Tasks

• Analysis and writing up

Task Details

• Prepare regional reports (one for publication, one as Call-to-Action

Deliverables

• Two regional documentations drafted

Due date

• End February 2016The concerned consultant is expected to

1) Conduct country visits to the five countries selected, from desk review to developing a country summary report, involving 7 work days per country (except for Indonesia where 15 working days will be required for a more detail documentation);

2) Draft two regional documents (regional publication and regional advocacy document), for 15 work days in total.

End Product(s):

The consultant is required to submit individual country summaries and two regional reports by end of the

contract:

1) Individual country summary reports (at 8-10 pages), by describing the following elements (whenever relevant information available); and bottleneck analysis/determinants framework may be considered in presentations of the findings.

a) Country background (including key health indicators and health system);

b) Ked findings from equity analysis;

c) Key findings from bottleneck analysis;

d) Strategy development and implementation;

e) Innovations if applicable;

f) Linkage with other health programme/s;

g) Enabling factors and programmatic constraints

2) A detailed analysis report for Indonesia including record of study process to meet specific requirements from the UNICEF Indonesia.

3) One regional publication paper summarizing regional experiences and lessons learned in reducing immunization inequity; and

4) One regional recommendation/advocacy document to call for more actions to improve immunization equity in EAP.

Estimated Duration of Contract:

Total expected number of working days is 61 over the duration of the contract, between 1 September 2015 and 1 March 2016 (46 days on country missions and 15 days working at home setting).

Official Travel:

The consultant will travel to six countries, tentatively including Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Qualifications or Specialized Knowledge/Experience Required:

1) Advance degree in science, medicine, or public health;

2) At least 10 year experience in public health;

3) Experience in research including data collection/ processing/ analysis/ survey;

4) Demonstrated skills in writing (publications or technical documents should be provided during application);

5) Strong interpersonal communication skills;

6) Working experiences in immunization programme and in EAP countries preferred.

Application process:

Interested applicants are requested to submit Application Package and Expression of Interest by 9 August 2015to email: hrbangkok@unicef.org detailing:

1. Qualification and technical capacity (CV/P-11)
2. Relevant work experience for undertaking this assignment
3. A detailed work plan (outlining milestones with timeframe)
4. Proposed methodology
5. Financial proposal: Daily professional fee in USD and all-inclusive travel cost and other incidentals. Please note the air tickets under UNICEF contract shall be re-routable, refundable type (economy class and most direct route). The consultant will be responsible for own travel insurance, visa fee and terminal expenses.

Only short listed candidates will be notified*