Organization: UN Children"s Fund
Country: United States of America
Closing date: 16 Jun 2015
Background & Rationale
The Global Measles and Rubella Strategic Plan for 2012-2020 indicates that “strengthening routine immunization (RI) is a critical component of the strategy to control and eliminate measles, as it is the foundation to achieving and sustaining high levels of population immunity.” While Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs) occur only on an occasional basis and their primary objective is to rapidly protect an expanded age group with measles or measles-rubella vaccine, they also present opportunities to strengthen RI. For this reason, the Strategic Plan states that the Measles & Rubella Initiative will support the inclusion of specific routine system strengthening activities as part of measles or MR SIAs by planning, implementing and creating synergies with routine immunization.
SIAs provide useful opportunities to strengthen routine immunization and it is to the mutual benefit of both measles elimination and routine immunization systems for these opportunities to be leveraged. However, impediments exist to realizing the potential of this synergy. These may be overcome or at least offset by recasting a “best practice SIA” as one that includes a component of strengthening routine immunization, bearing in mind the practical limits of what SIAs can do for routine immunization.
Many countries in last few years have conducted measles SIAs and implemented some activities during planning and implementation of SIAs which helped increase routine immunization coverage by reaching missed children and have led to strengthening of RI in general.
Documenting and dissemination of “Best Practices and Lessons Learned” provides real opportunities for sharing knowledge about what works, what doesn’t and continuing learning about how to improve and adapt strategies and activities through feedback, reflection and analysis in order to replicate and implement larger-scale, sustained, and more effective interventions.
Based on the best practices/lessons learned document, UNICEF and its partners will facilitate regional/country workshops to discuss strategies, consider the findings and identify key considerations for action planning to strengthen routine immunization through SIAs.
Purpose
UNICEF HQ, in collaboration with UNICEF Regional Offices, is seeking to contract a highly experienced consultant to document evidence-based best practices and lessons learned, and to develop guidance for strengthening routine immunization program through measles and rubella campaigns.
The purpose of this consultancy is to document and share relevant evidence and experience from various countries on strategies and activities conducted to strengthen routine immunization coverage through measles SIAs. This evidence-based document will provide guidance to program managers, ministries of health and civil society organizations on “best practices and lessons learned” for planning and implementation of Measles/Measles-Rubella SIAs that can contribute to increasing coverage of routine immunization and equity, and strengthening the routine immunization system.
A key rationale for documenting and sharing “Best Practices/Lessons Learned” is to enable country managers and organizations working in the immunization sector to avoid re-inventing the wheel, to highlight necessary actions to improve performance and avoid strategies that have not worked in the past. Furthermore, this will provide to both policy makers and donors valuable evidence, contribute to the integration of these practices in national and district health plans, and help mobilize resources in support of programs.
This work includes:
- A literature review of evidence based strategies that improve specific outcomes, drawing on country reports, measles SIAs, routine immunization and equity literature (published and grey).
- Rapid field-based case study documentation of identified best practices and lessons learned to determine key success as well as problematic factors and to develop a guidance document of key considerations to guide programming.
Expected results: (measurable results)
The selected consultant will be expected to deliver on the below specified scope of work. Before commencing on the assignment, the consultant will deliver a Plan of Action outlining the detailed approach and methodology to this assignment in agreement with his/her supervisor. Work can begin after this plan of action has been signed off by UNICEF technical staff.
- Document best practices[1] in promoting routine immunization coverage and equity through measles and rubella activities through a literature review and a select number of rapid field-based case studies to unpack key success factors and factors hindering success.
- Conduct literature search and review journal articles and grey literature of strategies that improve specific outcomes of interest, drawing on measles immunization literature (published and grey).
- In consultation with UNICEF and WHO HQ and RO’s, select key countries for further probing and documentation in the regions.
- Work with in-country stakeholders to conduct desk review of reports and informal interviews/a short survey with selected key informants/offices to gather further information on activities conducted, any existing initiatives and lessons learned. Key informants include focal points in immunization at WHO, UNICEF Country/field and Regional Offices, MoH’s, CDC/Atlanta and other partners.
- Conduct immunization data analysis to document any concrete results achieved in terms of outcomes and impact through conducted activities. Special emphasis should be given on any identified problems and how those problems were approached and solved.
- Documentation of selected best practices/lessons learned based on the case studies based on format, developed by WHO AFRO “Guide for Documenting and Sharing “Best Practices” in Health Program”.
[1] A “Best Practice” is commonly defined as “a technique or methodology that, through experience and research, has proven reliably to lead to a desired result”. According to WHO (2008) in the context of health programs and services, a practical definition of a “Best Practice” is “knowledge about what works in specific situations and contexts, without using inordinate resources to achieve the desired results, and which can be used to develop and implement solutions adapted to similar challenges in other situations and contexts”.
The use of the word “best” should not be considered in the superlative sense as the term “Best Practice” is not about “perfection”, the “gold standard” or only elements that have been shown to contribute towards making interventions work or successful. Results can be partial and may be related to only one or more components of the practice being considered. Indeed, documenting and applying lessons learned on what does not work and why it does not work has to be an integral part of “Best Practice” so that the same types of mistakes can be avoided by other programs and projects.
- In collaboration with the Knowledge Management and Implementation Research, and Immunization Units at UNICEF New York, ensure the quality of each piece of documentation and the final approval processes.
To ensure readability and a clear presentation of what makes a practice innovative, interesting, and informative, the following format should be used for country specific case study:
(a) Title of the “Case study”
This should be concise and reflect the practice or lesson learned being documented.
(b) Introduction
This should provide the context and justification for the practice and address the following issues:
- what is the problem being addressed?
- which population is being affected?
- how is the problem impacting on the population?
- what were the objectives being achieved?
(c) Implementation of the Practice
- what are the main activities carried out?
- when and where were the activities carried out?
- how the activities were carried out?
- who were the key implementers and collaborators?
- what were the resource implications?
(d) Results of the Practice – Outputs and Outcomes
- what were the concrete results achieved in terms of outputs and outcomes?
- was an assessment of the practice carried out? If yes, what were the results?
(e) Lessons Learnt
- what worked really well – what facilitated this?
- what did not work – why did it not work and what actions were taken to mitigate?
(f) Conclusion
- how have the results benefited the population?
- why may that intervention be considered a “Best Practice”?
- recommendations for those intending to adopt the documented “Best Practice” or how it can help people working on the same issue(s).
Expected outputs:
- Compendium of 6-9 best practices/lesson learned case studies (2-3 each from the Africa, Americas, and Asia/Pacific) on effective and scalable approaches to strengthen routine immunization, increase coverage and equity through SIAs following the below structure.
Section 1: Provides a background to the compendium and highlights the purpose and target audience.
Section 2: Contains the actual country case studies.
Section 3: Looks across case studies, summarizing implications for public health programming in low-resource contexts.
Section 4:Concludes the compendium.2. A “Key Operational Considerations Programming Note” document to guide program managers for better planning in support of routine immunization through measles and rubella supplementary activities. Key considerations should aim to help facilitate better programming in the regional context of specific countries, but should be applicable to the effective roll out in other countries too.
Expected output:
Key considerations document which will inform programming and serve as a basis for future country or regional planning and strengthening of routine immunization programs.
Duty Station:The consultant will be based at UNICEF New York Headquarters. Travel to selected countries is expected.
Timeframe:
Start date: 15 June 2015 End date: 30th September 2015(Dates will be adjusted to reflect the actual starting date of the consultancy)
Key competences, technical background, and experience required:
- Post-graduate or doctoral-level qualifications in Public Health.
- At least 8 years of Mid/Senior level relevant experience in immunization/health programming.
- Sound technical knowledge and operational experience of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and best practice/lessons learned case study methodologies. Strong data analysis and data interpretation skills.
- Consultant should be recognized regionally and globally as a respected player in the area of public health and preferably in immunization.
- Excellent English and or French communication and writing skills and previous experience with the development of evidence informed best practice frameworks and documents. Sample of writing work will be required.
- Creative thinking, drive for results and strong commitment. Excellent commitment to time and delivery deadlines and good track record of producing quality deliverables.
- Good inter-personal relationship within a diverse work environment. Added advantage: work experience in the UNICEF priority countries.
- Ability to work independently.
*Please see Deliverables in the attached chart.
How to apply:
How to Apply:Applicants are requested to send their submissions to <**pdconsultants@unicef.org>with subject line: **“Best Practices & Key Operational Considerations Documentation for Strengthening Routine Immunization through Measles/Rubella Campaign – Consultancy”by 16 June 2015, 5:00pm EST.
Applications must include:
· Cover letter
· CV
· P-11 form (http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/P11.doc)
· Indicate where you heard of this advertisement
Please indicate your ability, availability and daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above. Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered.
UNICEF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
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