COVID Vaccine Communications and Mobilization Consultants - Nigeria IHP at Palladium Group

Reference No.: req11052
Locations: Ebonyi, Abuja, Bauchi, Kebbi, and Sokoto
Duration: April 1  – September 30, 2021

Project Overview and Role

• The USAID Integrated Health Program (IHP) is an expanded effort by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with the Government of Nigeria (GoN) to contribute to State-level reductions in child and maternal morbidity and mortality and increase capacity of public, private, and community health systems to sustainably support quality, integrated primary health care (PHC) services for reproductive health, family planning, and maternal, newborn, and child health plus nutrition, and malaria (RMNCH+NM).
• IHP is seeking a COVID Vaccine Communications and Mobilization Consultants (16) to support IHP’s support for the Covid vaccination roll out at PHC and community levels in the first phase of vaccine roll out for health workers at the Federal level, Ebonyi, FCT,  Bauchi, Kebbi, and Sokoto  states, which aligns with, supports, and complements the NPHCDA’s and State Government’s voice and interventions.

Purpose of Assignment

• To provide technical support to IHP partners at the national level and in Ebonyi, FCT,  Bauchi, Kebbi, and Sokoto  to communications and advocacy  to cover vaccine hesitancy and management of adverse effect, media and social media engagement, community engagement and social mobilization, risk and crisis communication, rumor management, and evidence generation.  

Scope of Work
Specifically, the consultant(s) will: 

• Support implementation of State level Covid communication strategy in Federal level, Ebonyi, FCT,  Bauchi, Kebbi, and Sokoto  
• Support the capacity-building and training of  media professionals/journalists on latest global, regional, and national evidence on Covid vaccine  to fight myths on vaccines and allay fears that lead to vaccine hesitancy.
• Lead efforts on social listening, rumor management by identifying platforms to listen to and set criteria for that listening, while identifying mechanisms for tracking and responding to rumors through mass and social media, print media, posters/job aids, and engagement with influential traditional, religious and community leaders. 
• Support media and social media engagement by providing up to date information through mass and social media (WhatsApp), including training and mobilizing journalists, supporting mass media campaigns, including in Audio Job Aids, posters, and printed job aids, flyers, pamphlets
• Work with Vaccine experts and state COVID vaccine teams to develop evidence based communications messages and print and disseminate factsheets, posters, job aids, flyers in collaboration with the IHP vaccine expert, HMIS consultant and the State COVID vaccine task team
• Risk and Crises Communication: Supporting the tracking, report and manage Adverse Events (AEFI) and the communication around them in collaboration with NPHCDA/WHO/NCDC through mobile phone calls and text messaging, hotlines. 
• Support the preparation of guides, tools and protocols and ensure the tools are developed, printed, and distributed to the states.
• Use social media to share evidence of vaccine efficacy and to manage misinformation on vaccines and allay fears that lead to vaccine hesitancy
• Work with  media professionals/journalists to create awareness and to fight myths TV, radio, newspaper
• Work with media professionals/journalists to inform health workers and the public of vaccination venues, registrations processes.
• and preparing procurement requests and invoices and tracking media information and misinformation.
• Support adaptation and or development  of COVID vaccine global, regional, and national behaviour change communication materials
• Track media reporting and information accuracy/fact vs. misinformation on Covid vaccine including articles, blogs on social media
• Keep up to date through weekly meetings with Palladium HQ STTA COVID vaccine experts and keeping abreast of NPHCDA rapidly emerging guidelines.
• Work with Palladium COVID Vaccine experts, IHP in Abuja and other COVID Vaccine state experts to develop training modules for grantees to deliver on COVID vaccine service delivery (counseling, organizing vaccination sites, vaccine hesitancy, AEFI management/crises management)
• Support IHP’s financial support to mass media spots, programs on TV, radio, newspaper, etc) by obtaining requests from the government
• Escalate any reported adverse effects of covid vaccine from global, regional, and national levels 
• Support development of fact sheets, job aids on covid vaccine 

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Advanced university degree in Public Health, Journalism, Communication and Advocacy, Public Relations Sociology, or other related disciplines
• 3- 5 professional work experience in mass communications, risk and behavioral change communication and community engagement
• Experience developing key messages for various audiences. Experience using social media platforms and tools to communicate and engage with a variety of audiences
• Experience in managing communications in emergency situations and on sensitive issues
• Experience working on USAID programs, government of Nigeria or other international development organization is an asset
• Excellent research and analytical skills
• Strong interpersonal and team working skills and capacity to work in a multicultural environment
• Be a proactive resource to the State for all things COVID vaccine technical support, anticipating the needs, drawing from experience with other emergency vaccination programs such as polio and yellow fever.
• Consultant with experience with other emergency vaccine programs such as polio or yellow fever would be much preferred.

Expected Deliverables:

• Timely support provided to Vaccine experts and state COVID vaccine teams in implementation of National/State level Covid communication strategy ensuring these plans follow global and national guidelines and principles
• Communication metrics (# of media trained, media reached, media spots )are set and met
• Rumor management platforms and reporting mechanisms are identified and established
• Guidance on media and community feedback mechanisms addressing misinformation provided to appropriate authorities
• Mapping for media houses and journalists in focal sates to be trained in collaboration with relevant authorities
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Covid vaccine and Factsheets and Job aids on covid vaccine developed
• SOPs on Risk crisis communication developed
• Provide ongoing and regular monthly report 
• Support mass media jingles production for radio and TV.