NPO Surveillance (State Coordinator) at World Health Organization (WHO)

Objectives of the Programme

• The Federal Government of Nigeria continues to oversee the implementation of intensified Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) activities in the country. These efforts have resulted in improved quality of PEI activities as well as interruption of the wild poliovirus transmission in Nigeria. Priority Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization strategies and activities are articulated in the National Polio Eradication Emergency Plan and the Comprehensive EPI Multi-Year Plan
• The purpose of this post is to coordinate WHO technical, programmatic and managerial activities aimed at supporting the State to (a) achieve and maintain very high population immunity against polioviruses through high quality SIAs and routine immunization (b) achieve recommended surveillance performance indicators for Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP), other Vaccine Preventable Diseases as well as other diseases of public health priority as highlighted in Nigeria's Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy.

Description of Duties
Under the overall guidance of the WHO Country Representative, overall leadership of EPI Team Leader and direct supervision of the Zonal Coordinator, the incumbent is expected to support State authorities, partners and other appropriate stake-holders in the following specific tasks:

EPI Programme Areas (Routine Immunization, SIAs, Surveillance):

• Support timely preparation of State EPI/PEI (Polio Eradication, Routine Immunization and other accelerated control of vaccine preventable diseases) annual work-plans in line with national plans with great emphasis on the National Polio Eradication Emergency Plan (NPEEP).
• Advocate for and participate in weekly coordination meetings of the State Technical Team to monitor implementation of priority EPI/PEI activities as articulately in the State EPI/PE State plans.
• Advocate for and participate in monthly State Inter-agency Coordination Committee or State Immunization Task Force meetings to review implementation of priority EPI/PEI activities and EPI/PEI performance indicators.
• Support timely (a) collection of all EPI/PEI data (RI, SIA dashboard, Abuja commitments, surveillance, and PEI accountability framework data...etc), (b) use of EPI/PEI data for action and (c) feed-forward clean data to Zonal and National level.
• Ensure regular updating of State EPI/PEI plans to incorporate technical recommendations from ERC meetings, programme reviews including Rapid Surveillance Assessments (RSAs), National EOC action points...etc
• Collate monthly review reports from all clusters and compile a monthly state EPI/PEI review report.
• Develop innovations as solution to pertinent issues affecting quality implementation of activities in the State

Coordination of WHO State Technical Team:

• Ensure that all WHO personnel (Cluster consultants, LGA Facilitators, Field Volunteers) prepare (a) weekly work-plans in line with State EPI/PEI work-plans and priorities and (b) weekly reports of implementation of their weekly work-plans at the end of each week
• Conduct weekly in-house coordination meetings and follow up priority actions for follow up.
• Collaborate closely with other partners in the state (CDC, UNICEF, Rotary...) through joint participation in meetings with State officials and other stake-holders (State team meetings, State Task Force meetings, State EOC or Operations Room meetings...etc) as well as in partner meetings as may be required.
• Ensure timely sharing of activity reports and or plans of activities to be supported by WHO with State authorities, partners and other relevant stake-holders in the state.
• Undertake at least 2-3 supportive supervision of WHO personnel supporting high risk or poor performing LGAs.
• Ensure quality selection and training of EIM and LQAS surveyors
• Validate at least 5 – 10% of the verified AFP cases
• Ensure quarterly performance appraisals of all WHO personnel in the State.

Cross Cutting Tasks:

• Support training and capacity building of State, LGA staff as well as all WHO personnel (Cluster consultants, LGA Facilitators, Field Volunteers).
• Implement administrative, financial, security and office operations responsibilities in line with laid down WHO rules and regulations.
• Provide any support as requested by WHO Zonal Coordinator, EPI TL and/or WHO Representative.

Required Qualifications
Education:

• Essential: Degree in Medicine (MBBS, MBChB, MD)
• Desirable: Post graduate degree in Public Health preferably in epidemiology or other related public health fields

Experience:

• Essential: At least Five years of experience in EPI activities after post graduate qualification in government or non-governmental organizations.
• Desirable: Experience in an international organization

Skills:

• Computer literate in Microsoft windows applications, analytical soft-wares such as EPIINFO

WHO Competencies:

• Communication;
• Fostering integration and teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Building and promoting partnerships across the organisation and beyond
• Promoting WHO’s position in health leadership

Use of Language Skills:

• Essential: Excellent command of English
• Desirable: Knowledge of other UN language would be an asset