EPI Immunization Data Quality Improvement Consultant

BACKGROUND

The use of data for decision making is one of the areas that have been highlighted in most of the recent review as ways to contribute to the achievement of the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) and the AFR Regional Strategic Plan for Immunization goals. This requires the availability of high quality data to monitor programme performance at all levels. For the past 2 years the African Regional promoted a comprehensive way of looking at the data quality including the information management system. Recently in collaboration with International Vaccine Biologicals (IVB) HQ a clear guideline on the ways to assess the immunization data quality and the information management system ending by the development of data quality improvement plan has been developed.

WHO and partners including GAVI, The Global Fund, USAID among others proposed, and are promoting a harmonized approach to assess the quality of data reported from the level of health facilities to the national level. Specifically, WHO Sierra Leone has received funding from GAVI to support immunization data quality improvement planning and implementation through the TCA mechanism for 2017/2018.

In Sierra Leone, the long-term civil war, and the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and 2015 affected the health service delivery, including the Health Management Information System. Notably, quality data are a critical input in assessing national progress and performance on an annual basis, and provide the basis for subnational / district performance assessment. A Data Quality Self-Assessment (DQS) was conducted in 2016 and the country is now due to develop a Data Quality Improvement plan, as a short-medium term framework for addressing the challenges identified.

The proposed consultant will support Sierra Leone to adopt the GAVI data quality improvement activities into a data quality improvement plan for Sierra Leone.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

·         Conduct a desk review of national level generated Immunization Program outputs for 2017 to identify system aberrations that need to be prioritized

·         Conduct annual validation of reported immunization program data for 2017, in preparations for WHO/UNICEF reporting due in April 2017.

·         Conduct HIS review at the National, district and health facility level, identifying strengths, weaknesses and suggest practical recommendations  

·         Develop a national league table of performance by districts of Sierra Leone, to be published for public accountability as a GAVI requirement

·         Draft a data quality improvement plan (DQIP) for immunization and surveillance data in Sierra Leone. The DQIP will articulate strategies to promote data harmonisation, institutionalization of Data validation/quality assurance and analysis/use of data at points of collection. The DQIP should also articulate DHIS configurations needed to ensure quality immunization data

1.      Activities leading to development of DQIP

·         Review the Data Quality Assessment report 2016

·         Plan and implement nation-wide immunization data validation missions to all 14 districts. This will among others include development of an appropriate Data verification protocol, template and output formats.

·         Collate data validation mission reports into one report, including drafting of the 2017 WHO/UNICEF report for Sierra Leone

·         Develop a SWOT analysis of the immunization information systems currently functional in Sierra Leone with a view to identify priorities for improving DHIS in the medium term

·         Analysis of the 2017 immunization information outputs to generate a league table of performance for the 14 administrative units in Sierra Leone.

·         Draft an Immunization Data Quality Improvement Plan for Sierra Leone

2.      Expected Outputs and Deliverables

·         Immunization information systems Desk Review Report

·         National Immunization Data Validation Protocol for Sierra Leone

·         2017 immunization Data Validation report

·         Immunization Program performance league table of districts

·         Immunization Data Quality Improvement Plan

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education\:

Essential\:

Master’s Degree or equivalent in Statistics or health related post graduate qualification

Experience\:

Essential\:

·     At least 8 years of experience in supporting country Health management Information Systems

·     Experience in supporting countries ministry of health in management of EPI and surveillance data systems

·     Experience in conducting DQAs and working with country HIS programs

·     Ability and experience to work with multi-disciplinary teams, and deliver quality reports within the given time;

·         Experience working with UN systems will be added advantage.

Use of Language Skills

Essential\:  Excellent written and spoken English

REMUNERATION AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Remuneration

P-4 Level ($ 8,490 Monthly rate)

Place of Assignment

Freetown, Sierra Leone.