State Facilitator (POLIO/ Routine Immunization) at CTG Global

Place of performance: 12 high-risk states in the north, Nigeria
Start Date: 01/07/2021
Duration: up to 6 months (at 21.75 days / month)
Project Reporting: Chief of Field Office (CFO) or his/her Officer in Charge.
Team Management: No direct Reports.

Position Overview

• In 2020, Nigeria was declared WPV-free for having gone without any WPV case for over four years.  However, Nigeria is still experiencing outbreaks of cVDPV2 due low routine immunization coverage, which is further complicated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Nigeria experienced a major cVDPV2 outbreak in 2018 when the country had 34 AFP cases of cVDPV2 in the northern states. Although the number of cVDPV2 cases from AFP decreased to 18 in 2019, the outbreak spread to more states, including the southern states which were not considered as polio high-risk. In 2020 the AFP cases due to cVDPV2 was 8 and so far in 2021, the AFP cases are 8.  The eradication success is fragile because immunization coverage is still low.
• The spread of the cVDPV2 in the country is driven by low population immunity due to low routine immunization coverage. With an estimated 4.3 million unimmunised children in 2018, Nigeria has the highest number of unimmunised children globally with 33 per cent routine immunisation coverage (2016 MICS/NICS). Thanks to innovative strategies to strengthen routine immunization through the National Emergency Routine Immunization Coordination Centre (NERICC) framework, there was an increase in routine immunization coverage: 50 per cent (NDHS, 2018) and 57 per cent (SMART Survey, 2018). Still, routine immunization performance in Nigeria has remained sub-optimal for over ten years according to the national demographic health surveys (NDHS) of 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2018, which puts the national Penta3 coverage at 21 per cent, 35 per cent, 49 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively. The national immunization coverage surveys conducted in 2007, 2011 and 2016 also showed that the country’s reported Penta3 coverage rates of 28 per cent, 37 per cent and 33 per cent respectively, far below the acceptable target coverage of 80 per cent. 
• Communication and social mobilization are critical components in the routine immunization and polio vaccination. It utilises the Volunteer Community Mobiliser (VCM) network of more than 18,500 members deployed in 12 high-risk states in the northern part of Nigeria, working closely with stakeholders, caregivers, and the community at large to promote vaccination. Members of the network conduct active, community-based AFP case search and reporting, house-to-house visits, organise compound meetings and community dialogues, track new-born and under-five children, give zero-dose polio vaccinations, engage members of polio survivors group, track and vaccinate children at internally displaced camps, refer pregnant women to health facilities and under-one children for routine vaccination and systematically track and vaccinate missed and non-compliant children during in-between rounds activities in their assigned settlements.
• The network is supervised through a comprehensive network of facilitators at ward, LGA, and state levels. The VCM network is a proven catalyst for change and a standard for community engagement at the grassroots level to drive community mobilisation for polio and routine immunization, individual and group health education sessions and promotion of essential family practices.
• State facilitators, and the supportive supervision layers under them, as well as the volunteer community mobilizers, were key actors who raised the community awareness, tracked the new-born and their immunization status, changed the behaviour of the caregivers favourably and engaged prominent influences to resolve non-compliance and reached out to underserved population since 2012. In the era of post-WPV, their intensified communication is expected to contribute immensely to the lingering immunization challenges of Nigeria.
• Our client has the need to sustain and strengthen its support in intensive community engagement and social mobilization with particular focus on ensuring improved coordination and partnership with key community leaders of underserved populations and in very high-risk states. One of the key approaches in community mobilization is the identification, sensitization and engagement of prominent influencers in underserved and mobile communities. Intensified engagement with the religious institutions in Nigeria is critical to addressing key communication challenges that the immunization programme is facing.  There are still lingering challenges with small groups predominantly in Northern Nigeria; these result in non-compliance with a correspondingly high number of children remaining unvaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases. 

Role Objective:

• These facilitators will be located at the state level with frequent trips to the LGAs with high numbers of missed children in key wards. Emphasis will be on communication approaches to improve routine immunization and to support emergency non-polio SIA, such as COVID-19.

Key Competencies:

• Work with a cluster of LGA/Ward teams, to ensure deeper ward analysis, planning and implementation of strategic communications interventions and be responsible for basic monitoring. The specific communication interventions to be implemented in each area will be informed by local knowledge and unique characteristics of the wards/settlements.
• Support development of LGA Social Mobilisation Action Plans for polio and non-polio SIAs and mop-ups, targeting high-risk wards in the high-risk LGAs within the State.
• Facilitate, in coordination with our client's Field offices the effective use of our client's social mobilisation funds (channelled through the Government departments) at the State, LGA and Ward levels for SIAs.
• Support training of State/LGA/Ward staff and Vaccination personnel in social mobilisation activities, including interpersonal communications.
• Advocate with LGA/Ward policymakers, religious and traditional leadership for support for the implementation of polio and non-polio campaign campaigns and routine immunization.
• Participate in the planning and implementation of media and communication activities and work with Media groups and networks for coordinating our client's supported programmes during SIPDs.
• Work directly and collaborate with Traditional leaders at the district and ward levels for increased community participation and OPV acceptance to reduce missed children during campaigns.
• Design and implement group-specific strategies to reach hard to reach, nomadic and minority groups at the LGA, district and ward levels.
• Participate in the state/LGA social mobilization committees within their cluster of LGAs and provide direct action-advocacy support for addressing issues related to refusal, resistance, and rejection at the ward level.
• Participate in state/LGA/Ward IPD management team activities geared toward successful implementation of SIAs.
• Supervise the collection of data at the state, LGA, district and ward levels and analyse data for specific trends/patterns of non-compliance, poor coverage, dropouts, left-outs etc., and undertake coordinated action to facilitate the process of reaching such communities/households.
• Coordinate with stakeholders such as NGOs, CBOs, religious groups, women's groups and youth groups for their involvement and participation in polio eradication activities.
• Work in close collaboration with other partners like WHO, ROTARY, Red Cross, NTLC, SPHCDA and other relevant government partners.
• Ensure strong supervision of the LGA facilitators and other polio communication team members in their cluster of LGAs within the accountability framework.
• Support all required activities in a respective cluster of LGAs to increase coverage for routine immunization.
• Support all C4D activities in a respective cluster of LGAs to promote child survival and protection.
• Support any emergency non-polio SIAs, such as COVID-19, as required by the organization

Expected Output:

• Based on the major tasks outlined above, a work plan should be submitted for approval by supervising facilitator/ C4D Specialist/health specialist 2 weeks after joining with clear monthly deliverables for each month of the contract period.
• A detailed work plan at the beginning and monthly work plans thereafter (1st week of each month).
• Monthly report of activities, outcomes, mission reports and Notes for the Record (NFR) on meetings etc. (monthly)
• Accountability dashboard indicators submitted monthly and strict adherence to the accountability framework in the state.
• One report after each IPD by using a supplied template on intervention and other social data tools/social Mobilization indicators. (as per IPD conducted)
• One end of contract powerpoint presentation to be used in debriefing Chief of Field Office, polio communication team or other relevant staff members.
• One end of contract Report.

Expected Results:

• Data-driven and evidence-based high-risk operational plans with strong communication component in place across all LGAs within the assigned cluster of LGAs contributing to a reduction in missed children and quality campaigns (every campaign). 
• Immunization barriers identified, analyzed and overcome by social mobilization groups and key influencers (updated monthly in all LGAs).
• Number of missed children and non-compliance are reduced through intensified social mobilization activities
• Full implementation of the accountability framework across all LGAs within the cluster leading to high-quality immunization activities (monthly dashboard updated and quarterly review of Facilitators)
• Polio and routine immunization, M&E reports from LGA are available at State, Field Office and Abuja levels (weekly report submitted, and monthly report submitted).
• Functioning social mobilization committee and Polio Task Forces in place across all LGAs within the assigned cluster of LGAs  
• Volunteer Community Mobilizer Network, is highly operational delivering results as reported through accurate and timely reporting (weekly reports submitted).

Required Qualifications and Competencies
Education:

• University Degree in social sciences, communication, public health, community nutrition, community development or related technical field.

Language:

• Fluency in English. Knowledge of local working language of the duty station an asset.

Work Experience:

• At least three (3) years progressively responsible professional work experience at state level in programme planning, management, monitoring and evaluation in Immunization Programmes.
• Experience in social mobilization and communication and polio eradication campaign, IEC material development, training and negotiation skills and team building.

Required Competencies:

• Current knowledge of development issues, strategies as well as programming policies and procedures in international development cooperation
• Proven ability to conceptualize, innovate, plan and execute ideas, as well as to impart knowledge and teach skills
• Managerial and supervisory skills
• Good analytical, negotiating, communication and advocacy skills
• Computer skills, including internet navigation and various office applications 
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships both within and outside the organization