Service Provider to support EPI in Assessing Barriers to Immunization (with a Focus on Zero Dose and unimmunized Children)

Over the course of the last decade, the situation of children in Mozambique has improved significantly. Currently, more children are living to celebrate their fifth birthday than ever before following sustained progress in reducing under-five mortality, thereby working to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3. However, many challenges remain, particularly regarding the stark disparities in child health outcomes between poorer provinces, as well as for the less educated and the poor, where progress has lagged behind advances enjoyed by the rest of the country.  

Though immunization is a global health and development success story, saving millions of lives every year, and being a key component of primary health care and an indisputable human right, missed opportunities for vaccination (MOV) are a significant contributor to low vaccination coverage in Mozambique. These MOV, are most frequently attributable to physical and social barriers, including practices of caregivers and health workers, limited resources, inadequate information about the benefits of vaccination, and inadequate tracking systems to identify children due for a vaccination, among others. 

This situation has deteriorated due the COVID-19 and political unrest in some provinces which created more difficulties to access immunization services. As a result of these limitations, many children are still without completing the immunization national scheme. This prompted the EPI programme to develop a  

The MOH of Mozambique is facing this situation and has to achieve the common international vision of leaving no one behind with immunization (Alliance 2021-2025 strategy). Under this strategy, the global goal is to get a 25% reduction in zero-dose children across countries. To achieve this vision the MOH is working with Gavi and partners to reach missing communities with special attention to zero-doses and under-immunized children. So far, under the Gavi framework, many important steps are being done in that direction.

Jhpiego is currently providing technical assistance to MOH and partners to develop the Equity Accelerator Fund (EAF) application  using a phased approach.Jhpiego support in this phase aims at responding to the following questions:

• Why these zero dose children have not received immunisation services and reasons behind low immunisation coverage in the country?
• Why children are not reached with existing solutions and reasons for missed opportunities?
• What are immunisation challenges related to the supply side and demand side?
• What role, if any, do gender-related barriers contribute to the zero-dose problem?

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Objectives

The objective of the assignment is to:

Conduct a desk review on zero dose and unimmunized children, with a focus on provinces and districts with zero dose children and unimmunized children looking specifically at behavioral/health seeking data and studies in order to:

1. Identify supply and demand side barriers to zero dose and under-vaccination (including gender-related barriers);
2. Identify existing and emerging CBOs to include in the EAF to support demand generation and community engagement activities;
3. Determine whether prenatal records can be linked to immunization after birth (continuity of care);
4. Where gaps are identified, make use of all available channels to secure additional information and insights that can help EPI stakeholders to address these gaps. This may require online research, engagement with academic institutions, international and local NGOs/CSOs as well as the private sector and / or professional associations to implement participatory assessments with representatives of specific communities and care providers, and other methods of data collection.
5. Consolidate key pieces of information collected throughout this process to lay out clearly where coverage gaps exist and the key underlying causes that contribute to those gaps
6. Cross verify with Gavi Zero Dose Analysis Card, particularly the sessions on “Identify” – and Understand and listen (i.e., why)
7. Sinthetize findings and make a preliminary presentation;
8. Submit a final report writing in Portuguese.
9. Facilitate and coordinate a country-led process involving local, national and sub-national stakeholders to identify suitable solutions to reach these children and their communities.

The outcomes of this exercise will be used during the EAF proposal development workshop.

• Advanced degree (Masters Level) in a relevant field (social sciences, medical anthropology, sociology, public health).
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in field research (social sciences).
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in qualitative research methodologies.
• Minimum 5 years’ in qualitative studies review/and capability to synthesize.
• Excellent communication and writing skills in both Portuguese.

• Experience working on USG contracts a plus

Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package.

Please apply at www.jobs-jhpiego.icims.com

Applicants must submit a single document for upload to include: cover letter, resume and references.

For further information about Jhpiego, visit our website at www.jhpiego.org

Note: The successful candidate selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation.  

Jhpiego is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer

Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins University affiliate, is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, other legally protected characteristics or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Jhpiego promotes Affirmative Action for minorities, women, individuals who are disabled, and veterans.

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