Purpose of the Consultancy VDI unit is recruiting a national consultant to support the National Immunization Programme (NIP) in revitalizing the HPV vaccination campaign and supporting with rolling out and evaluation of IPV2 vaccines in Lao PDR.
Background Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that can cause cervical cancer, the fourth most frequent cancer among women globally. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent HPV infection and cervical cancer. Lao PDR introduced the HPV vaccine into NIP in 2020 to all girls aged 10 years old routine cohort and 11-14 years old, in a multi-age cohort (MAC). The HPV vaccination is strategized as school-based vaccination which vaccinate girls in schools and girls who dropped out of schools.ย ย Unfortunately, 2020 was the year that the country and globally were stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several lockdown measures have been imposed as well as school closures. The school closure has significantly slowed down the HPV school-based vaccination program. In 2020, only 62.9% of 10-year-old girls were vaccinated against HPV. The NIP alongside WHO and UNICEF suggested continuing to catch up with the MAC.ย HPV vaccination coverage has since been staggered with 38% in 2021, 61.5% in 2022 and 64.5% in 2023 for 10-year-old girls.ย The main reasons were healthcare resources were diverted towards the COVID-19 response, limiting manpower, and infrastructure for HPV vaccination. Lockdowns and movement restrictions caused by the pandemic led to the temporary closure of some healthcare facilities and disruptions in service delivery schedules, making it difficult for girls to access HPV vaccination.ย Lessons learned from the recent Measles and Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR SIA) in May 2024 highlighted the importance of strong inter-sectoral coordination, particularly between the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Education and Sport (MoES). Gaps in communication and collaboration between these ministries hampered the SIA's effectiveness. With these lessons learned from the MR SIA, the VDI team is proposing to recruit a national consultant to support the inter-sectoral coordination between MoH and MoES. In August 2024, Lao PDR introduced IPV2 vaccines into the immunization schedule. itโs crucial to have well-trained healthcare workers to ensure high service quality and high uptake to the vaccines. Moreover, there should be a well-documented IPV2 introduction and evaluation.ย
Deliverables
- Support NIP to conduct a comprehensive review of the national HPV vaccination program, building on the progress made and identifying remaining challenges and gaps.
- Finalize the development of the a national HPV vaccination campaign revitalization plan, incorporating practical strategies to enhanceย multisectoral coordination between MOH, MoES, and other relevant stakeholders (UNFPA, Lao Women's Union (LWU), Ministry of Information and Communications (MoICT), etc).
- Support NIP to roll out the work plan to strengthen service delivery and increase HPV vaccination coverage.
- Continue to support the revitalization of the national HPV task force, ensuring representation from MOH, MoES, UNFPA, LWU, MoICT, and other key stakeholders including facilitation of regular meetings of the task force to monitor progress, address challenges, and ensure effective implementation of the revitalization plan.
- Contribute to the refinement of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tools to track progress and measure the impact of the revitalization efforts.
- Support NIP in on the job-training after IPV2 vaccine introductionย
- Documentation of the IPV2 introductionย
- Support in monitoring and evaluation of IPV2ย
- Contribute to the coordination of communication and advocacy efforts to raise awareness of HPV and IPV2 vaccination among healthcare workers, communities and partners Output 1: HPV campaign revitalizationย Deliverable 1.1: A comprehensive report on the review of the national HPV vaccination program Deliverable 1.2: A finalized national HPV vaccination campaign revitalization plan Deliverable 1.3: Minutes of task force meetings, including documentation of follow-up actions Deliverable 1.4: M&E tools for tracking progress and impact Deliverable 1.5: Briefing materials and communication products developed to support advocacy and stakeholder engagement related to the HPV campaign Output 2: IPV2 introduction implementation and evaluation Deliverable 2.1: Technical report on IPV2 supportive supervision Deliverable 2.2: A comprehensive report documenting the introduction of IPV2 and lesson learned Deliverable 2.3: Technical report on IPV2 introduction evaluation Deliverable 2.4: Communication and training materials developed to support IPV2 vaccination rollout ย Method(s) to carry out the activity The consultant will be based in the National Immunization program and work closely with MOH.
Qualifications, experience, skills and languages
Educational Qualifications:ย ย Essential: Bachelorโs degree in public health or a related field. Master's degree in public health or related field is desirable.
Experienceย ย Essential: At least 5 years of working experience on the expanded programme of immunization including work plan development and coordination
Skills / Technical skills and knowledge: Sound knowledge of maternal and child health and immunization and VPD surveillance.
Language requirements: Fluent in English and Lao language
Location On site: Vientiane, Lao PDR
Travel The consultant will be expected to travel to different provinces for the related work
Remuneration Remuneration: TBD Expected duration of contract: August to December 2025
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