International Consultant for revision of the legal and regulatory documents related to IMCI and home visits with a focus on immunization, Kyrgyzstan, 12 days

The assignment aims to review regulatory framework and assess the system of home-visiting with a focus on immunization and provide recommendations to identify missed opportunities and register 0-dose children through the system of home visits to children in Kyrgyzstan.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, UNICEF Kyrgyzstan

How can you make a difference? 

One of the key priorities of the Immunization Program in Kyrgyzstan is to identify and reach zero-dose and under immunized children to ensure that no one is left behind with proper immunization. According to MICS 2018, the percentage of children with a zero dose was 9.8% (children who did not receive a first dose of DTP vaccine), and the percentage of under immunized children was 12.3% (children who did not receive a third dose of DTP vaccine). In order to achieve national, regional and global goals for Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Kyrgyzstan strives to ensure equitable access to the immunization services for all groups of population, regardless of their social status, gender differences and geographic locations. Special emphasis is given to the specific groups, such as internal migrants, hard-to-reach population groups and socially inaccessible groups (religious and other beliefs). To increase immunization coverage rates among all target groups, the immunization services are provided through three different service delivery modes: fixed site service delivery at the health facilities, mobile teams and outreach sessions (home visits).

The home visits started in 2020, within the framework of additional HSS funding provided by Gavi. The integrated management of childhood illnesses, with a focus on immunization, is also a strategy for an integrated approach to identifying missed opportunities for immunization. This aims at increasing vaccination coverage. The system of home visits to healthy children in Kyrgyzstan is a strong mechanism to identify missed opportunities. This mechanism should be included as an intervention to identify and register children with zero dose, delay/refusal to vaccinate.

UNICEF would like to analyse and strengthen the use of this mechanism of home visits to identify and register children with zero dose, delay/refusal to vaccinate.

Scope of Work:

A) Revision of the legal and regulatory documents related to IMCI and home visits with a focus on immunization

B) Assess the system of home-visiting system in Kyrgyzstan with focus on immunization

C) Develop recommendations to use the system of home visits to healthy children in Kyrgyzstan to identify missed opportunities and register 0-dose children

D) Prepare the Assessment Report on the system of home visits to children in Kyrgyzstan to identify missed opportunities to register and reach 0-dose children with immunization and other MCH services

The Methodology:

a) Extensive desk review of existing regulatory documentation, all relevant studies and guidelines on home visiting, UNICEF Kyrgyzstan project and programme documents, clinical protocols, primary and secondary data reports (training, supervision, mentoring reports);

b) Based on the desk review, the consultant will develop an Inception Report that includes:

 A summary of initial findings against the assessment questions derived from the desk review;

 recommended methodological approach to this assignment,

 draft data collection instruments.

c) Conduct interviews with key experts, service providers, beneficiaries, home-visitors, partners

d) Collect and analyse data in consultation with expert’s group consisted of the national and local level health experts in the home visiting service

e) Prepare final assessment report with recommendations on how to reach zero dose and unvaccinated children with immunization services and present it to the stakeholders To facilitate the assessment process, UNICEF will assist with organising interviews, missions, organisation of meetings.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in medicine and/or public health and/health economics
  *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree. 
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in collecting and analyzing data, and providing evidence-based recommendations on home visit approach at community level, expertise and experience in the provision of the recommendations to advance health system strengthening reforms in ECARO countries would be an advantage
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset. 
• Fluency in English and Russian is required. Knowledge of Kyrgyz language is an asset. 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.