Country: Georgia
Closing date: 15 Dec 2016
International Consultant to Support the Development of a National Immunization Communication Strategy with Action Plan and Crisis Communication Plan for the Immunization Program of Georgia.
Background
The Immunization Program of Georgia benefits from strong political commitment and support, experienced and highly qualified program leadership and staff, good communication channels with major international organizations (Gavi, UNICEF, WHO, CDC, the World Bank) and an Interagency Coordinating Committee (ICC) with high-level political and professional representation. Georgia's National Immunization Programme (NIP) within the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC&PH) remains a strong performer in the EURO region.
Routine childhood immunizations in Georgia are delivered according to the Public Health Law and the National immunization schedule (Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs (MoLHSA) Decree # 183/n, June 25, 2010). The national immunization schedule currently provides vaccination against 12 infections: tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), measles, mumps, rubella, poliomyelitis, rotavirus, and pneumococcal infection. WHO/UNICEF coverage estimates and national disease surveillance and epidemiology report the coverage of most antigens to be above 90%. According to the official statistics, in 2015, immunization coverage rates against the majority of antigens exceeded those of the previous year, however they did not meet the national targets of 95 %. In the same year a number of districts in Georgia had relatively low performance with respect to DTP3 coverage, with 7 districts of the country's 65 districts achieving below 80 % coverage.
Building communication capacity and developing a comprehensive national communication strategy for immunization are among the most pressing NIP priorities. At the MoLHSA and NCDC level there is a clear understanding of the critical importance of effective communications and advocacy through a planned approach. Currently, the NIP does not have a crisis communication plan in place to manage adverse events after immunization (AEFIs), outbreaks and other vaccine safety related incidents. This is also an important need that was highlighted by the report: impact of the media coverage of a reported adverse event following immunization (AEFI) during the school measles and rubella campaign in 2008. In the past 2-3 years health staff have started to provide more detailed information on the expected side effects and low levels of risk of adverse events following immunization. This has increased transparency and trust which in turn, has helped manage parents' concerns and expectations. Health professionals are now also increasingly involved in follow-up with parents on immunization timelines (phone/sms reminders of the need to bring children for vaccination, efforts to explain to parents the value and safety of immunization).
Georgia is a GAVI graduation country and as such a joint graduation assessment of immunization in Georgia was carried out in July 2015 to inform Georgia's Graduation Action plan. The assessment report indicated that although the health promotion team at the national level had its capacity increased in the recent years (human and financial resources), it was noted that communication strategies and actions/materials at the field level could be further improved to reach a required level for a strong immunization program. In order to achieve sustained and equitable coverage at the level required, the joint appraisal team recommended that the country develop a comprehensive communication strategy with a detailed action plan and ensure the allocation of sufficient resources for its implementation activities such as immunization campaigns, trainings and information materials etc.
In addition, the WHO Regional Office conducted an Immunization Communication Review in September 2015 for Europe (REO) at the request of NCDC Georgia. This review made several specific recommendations in four priority areas i) the need to build a resilient NIP to manage communications and address safety events and concerns ii) the need to create greater public demand for vaccination and immunization services iii) the need to ensure greater decision maker support for sustainable financing of communications iv) the need to strengthen HCWs (doctors and nurses) to be confident and competent advocates of immunization. The development of a national communication strategy with crisis communication action plan was also recommended.
In order to ensure that immunization programme of Georgia is fully sustainable in the long term, GAVI released a graduation grant for the period of 2016-2017 aimed at addressing the existing challenges revealed through the assessments. UNICEF has been mandated to support the Government to implement the GAVI recommendations and increase its immunization communication capacities and readiness to cope with crisis situations in the field of immunization. This support includes technical assistance in the development of a national communication strategy and action plan including a crisis communication plan for immunization.
The national immunization communication strategy and plans will be informed by current evidence on best practice, the findings of the KAP survey that is currently being conducted as well as inputs from a consultation workshop of wider stakeholders and experts. The KAP survey includes both qualitative and quantitative components. The qualitative component will be completed by the end of September 2016, while the quantitative will be initiated in mid-October (after the national election) with the preliminary findings expected before the end of 2016. Another potential source of information for the strategy will be the results of the WHO ROE 'Tailoring Immunization Programme' (TIP) work that is being carried out as part of the Gavi Graduation Plan for Georgia in 2017. TIP aims to better understand the reasons behind why some groups and geographical areas are under-immunized. Depending on the timing of TIP in 2017 it may be that the findings rather offer an opportunity for the strategy to review and reflect on its approaches to reach particular target groups and identify further potential gaps in the strategy.
OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY
Provide technical support to the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health in developing the national communication strategy and action plan for immunization including the crisis communication plan.
SCOPE OF THE CONSULTANCY
The consultant will be responsible to provide the following services:
Familiarize with the findings of the KAP Immunization Survey on the perceptions and concerns that underpin resistance to immunization and their causes amongst key stakeholders
Conduct a desk review of the related strategies, plans and materials, including previously implemented campaigns on immunization communication in Georgia
Review the published evidence on good practice in relation to communication and crisis communication in the field of immunization
Facilitate the consultation with wider partner agencies, wider external and internal stakeholders, media and experts on their understanding and perceptions of the communication challenges in relation to immunization, priorities for the strategy and the role they (their organizations) can play in helping to addressing these. This will be conducted through a series of interviews/meetings and a large group event where the results of the headline findings from the KAP may also be presented if available.
In collaboration with the NCDC&PH's health promotion and Immunization Department, support staff to draw on the range of information to develop draft evidence based Communication Strategy on Immunization with the relevant Action Plan, budget estimates and a Crisis Communication Plan. The strategy should include:
Introduction
Situation analysis and key communication challenges
Goal and strategic priorities
Communication objectives, target groups, desired behaviors, key messages, channels, action plan and timelines
Roles and responsibilities
Monitoring and evaluation
Budget and resource requirements and sources
Crisis communication plan with associated actions, roles and responsibility and timeliness standards.
A first draft produced by the consultant will be circulated for further comments and inputs. The consultant will make final edits and produce a final draft strategy.
Prepare a draft power point presentation of the Communication Strategy on Immunization and associated action plans and crisis communication plan and introduce it to the government counterparts and other relevant stakeholders.
METHODOLOGY AND TOOLS
Background information and documents will be shared with the consultant in advance.
A communication strategy co ordination group made up of the NCDC, NIP, Health Promotion, UNICEF, MoH PR, WHO will oversee the work of the consultant and support them in their role ensuring agreements, decisions, inputs and communications with their respective organizations are clearly made in a timely manner.
Preparatory work: The consultant will be expected to conduct as much preparatory work as possible prior to the release of the KAP findings. This will include the design of the overall strategy development process, a rapid review of the published literature, a rapid review of related internal strategy policy documents and communication materials and to begin to draft the template for the strategy document.
Read and understand the KAP findings
In Country work:
i) To conduct meetings with the following institutions and departments as part of the strategy development process:
Ministry of Health
Ministry of Finance
National Center for Disease and Public Health – NCDC (vaccine storage and distribution)
Interagency Coordination Committee (ICC)
UNICEF and WHO COs
CDC Atlanta
Any other person/unit as needed and agreed with Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs (MoLHSA) and the Communication Strategy Co ordination Group
ii) To facilitate a one day consultative event with wider stakeholders
iii) To hold a two day working programme with the key NIP and HP team members to flesh out the strategic priorities, action plan and M&E framework and
iv) Meet with the communication strategy coordination group to review work to date and agree strategic priorities for the Immunization Communication Strategy and Action Plan and finalize details for the crisis communication plan.
Strategy Drafting: This will be conducted by the consultant online with the expectation there will be considerable and timely exchanges and inputs between the UNICEF/NIP / HP lead staff and the consultant.
Assumptions:
The UNICEF and the NCDC in Georgia will manage the final formatting, layout and look of the document including the translation of the strategy in Georgian.
Logistical and administrative details for the setting up of meetings, workshop and co coordinating inputs to the draft will be managed by the NIP and UNICEF. At the consultative meeting a translator will be provided if necessary and also NIP and HP staff will be available to moderate small group discussions and capture feedback at the large consultative meeting.
Messages crafted by the consultant for the target audiences will not be used before they are tested with the target group for understanding, impact and resonance by the NCDC PH HPD
DELIVERABLES
Deliverable must clearly contribute to the attainment of the communication objectives for immunization of Georgia and include in particular:
A communication strategy, which recommends a set of key messages to be promoted among target audience at the central and local levels; define the means necessary for implementation (media and communication tools), indirect and direct target groups parents, medical personnel and ultimate target groups (such as vulnerable groups); the strategy's monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, the nature and conditions for the forging of partnerships; a financial plan as well as a strategy for ensuring the sustainability and institutionalization of the actions carried out.
A communication plan, comprising the principal communication activities scheduled during the period of 5 years.
A crisis communication plan, comprising the principal communication activities, roles and responsibilities during the crisis in the field of immunization.
A brief report presenting the principal stages of the process, the work done, the people involved and any lessons learned
Time frame
Start of contract: January 10- March, 31, 2017. Duration of the consultancy will be 16 days, out of which 7 days will be spent in the country
Preparatory work – January 10-January 30, 2017 (out of country work)
In-country work–February 6-14, 2017
Debriefing presentation to coordinating group and key senior stakeholders –February 14, 2017
Out-of- country work to compile the draft report - February 15-28, 2017
Circulation of final draft strategy for comments and inputs March 5, 2017
Final edits and final version of the Immunization Communication Strategy and action plan for immunization including the crisis communication plan – End of March, 2017
Location:
Home Based with travel to Tbilisi for fieldwork and data collection
DURATION AND MODE OF CONSULTANCY
The consultancy service is required for the duration of 16 days starting from January 10, 2017 until the end of March 2017.
EDUCATION
University degree; post-graduate education in a field related to this position such as public health, social science and communication or equivalent level of experience in the field of communication for immunization.
SKILLS
At least 8 years of top level experience in the field of immunization communication
Understanding of evidence-based medicine and skills to find the sources for the evidence-based information of immunization
Excellent expertise in developing and using communication tools and mechanisms, including the ability to interpret the research results.
Good knowledge of UN agency policies and role in communication / immunization
Proven ability of conducting the consultancy in the field of immunization communication
Experience in working with UNICEF and other UN agencies will be an asset
Excellent communication and presentation skills
Required documentations for submission
Interested individual consultant must submit the following documents/information to demonstrate their qualifications:
CV
Financial proposal (inclusive of the fee for the assignment and estimated travel expenses)
Other materials or information that demonstrate the candidate's expertise in developing health related communication strategies and work in the field of immunization.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
50% after submission of debriefing presentation including conclusions and recommendations
50 % after receipt of communication strategy and action plan and crisis communication plan
UNICEF reserves the right to withhold all or a portion of payment if performance is unsatisfactory, if work/outputs is incomplete, not delivered or for failure to meet deadlines (fees reduced due to late submission: 20 days - 10%; 1 month -20%; 2 months -30%; more 2 months – payment withhold). All materials developed will remain the copyright of UNICEF and UNICEF will be free to adapt and modify them in the future.
How to apply:
Please follow the link for apply: http://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/job/501712