Summary
Date Posted: Friday, May 27, 2022 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
The purpose of this scope of work (SoW) is to hire COVID-19 vaccine consultant(s) (thereafter referred to as Technical Advisors) to work with MTaPS to provide immediate in-country technical assistance to the TMDA inCOVID-19 pharmacovigilance (PV) as the country moves forward with expanding COVID-19 vaccination. Other key stakeholders in this space include the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MoHCDGEC), and the World Health Organization (WHO).Working under the guidance of the Country Project Director (CPD) and in collaboration with the MTaPS head office team and colleagues in the country (field) office, the Technical Advisor will provide direct technical assistance to the TMDA and other country partners and stakeholders for the design and implementation of country interventions related to COVID-19 vaccine introduction, specifically in the technical area of Vaccine Pharmacovigilance and Monitoring Adverse Events, including rapid situational analysis; supporting coordination mechanisms; development/adaptation of guiding and training materials, tools and systems; delivery of training to health care workers and national experts; post-training technical assistance and supervision, including compliance with reporting requirements.

Consultant qualification requirements:
• This work will ideally require a medical doctor or other clinical practitioner, with expertise in immunization, introduction of new vaccines, and Vaccine Pharmacovigilance (PV) and skilled in capacity building of healthcare practitioners, national-and regional level policymakers and technical specialists.
• Degree or diploma in a clinical field, field epidemiology, global health, or a related field. Medical or Pharmacy degree highly preferred.
• At least 5-7 years of experience developing or implementing Pharmacovigilance systems. Experience with implementation of national immunization programs, and Vaccine Pharmacovigilance is a plus.
• Deep understanding of the Tanzania healthcare system
• Consultant Statement of Work
• Demonstrated experience developing national guidelines, training materials, and/or SOPs in vaccine Pharmacovigilance, immunization, or related fields
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing capacity building and training activities for healthcare practitioners
• Proficiency using electronic surveillance tools and platforms
• Experience with international health programs, particularly immunization programs, is preferred
• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills•Basic competency in Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills, ability to generate lucid reports
• Ability to produce quality content under tight deadlines •Ability to travel domestically up to 30% of time
• Fluency in writing, speaking, and reading the English and Swahili languages.
• Supervision and reporting responsibility: The consultant will be supervised by, and report to Edgar Lusaya,CPD, at MTaPS Tanzania. The consultant will liaise with Anton Luchytsky, Principal Technical Advisor, Infectious Diseases, other country team members, relevant MTaPS headquarters, and regional technical staff, and will work in collaboration with TMDA, the National Immunization Program staff of the MOHCDGEC, the country WHO office, and partners including USG partners implementing COVID-19 vaccine introduction activities.

Description of Services to be provided
• All activities in this SOW are specific to COVID-19 vaccines.In collaboration with the TMDA and the above partners, and to support the activities specified in the NVDP and the National AEFI Guidelines, the Consultant(s) will:The consultant will undertake the following activities:
• Support TMDA in holding periodic (monthly) partner coordination meetings with relevant stakeholders such as the MOHCDGEC, WHO and AMREF by facilitating meetings and discussions as necessary to ensure ongoing coordination of Covid-19 vaccine pharmacovigilance activity, properly leverage prior investments by USG and partners and prevent duplication of effort.
• Review/update/adapt or freshly develop training materials on COVID-19 Pharmacovigilance for training of trainers (ToT) and staff of Zonal PV Centers, that will be engaged in providing technical guidance and oversight to healthcare professionals engaged in COVID-19 vaccines PV throughout the country, leveraging applicable WHO materials. The training materials will primarily focus on identification, notification, reporting, investigation, analysis, and causality assessment of COVID-19 vaccination adverse events in accordance with the respective WHO guidance and will also cover other relevant topics such as data exchange mechanisms, partner coordination, awareness raising, and communication of vaccine safety data. Gender -related aspects (disaggregation by sex, pregnancy, and breastfeeding status) will be built in as well in accordance with respective WHO guidance. The Consultant will also facilitate appropriate in-country review and validation of the materials by relevant stakeholders including EPI,
• Develop SOPs and job aids to enable Zonal PV centers to electronically capture all COVID-19 AEFIs in Vigibase in the format meeting international requirements. (VigiBase is WHO's global Individual Case Safety Report database maintained by the Uppsala Monitoring Center, Sweden that contains reports submitted by the participating member states enrolled under WHO’s international drug monitoring program).
• Provide training of trainers and staff of Zonal PV Centers, that will be engaged in providing technical guidance and oversight to healthcare professionals engaged in COVID-19 vaccines pharmacovigilance throughout the country, using the developed training materials specified in point 2 above.
• Support dissemination of awareness and COVID-19 vaccine safety materials(being developed by the WHO), as well as materials promoting timely AEFI reporting throughout the country using healthcare system channels and mass media (e.g., radio and TV stations). Plans to be further detailed when the WHO materials are ready.
• Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs), checklists, and reporting templates for supportive supervision of participating health facilities by TMDA's central and zonal staff. The materials will be aligned with the national guidelines and training materials on COVID-19 pharmacovigilance and will cover identification, notification, reporting, investigation of COVID-19 vaccination adverse events, awareness raising, and communication of vaccine safety data, among other topics.
• Deliver a training/orientation on the related procedures to the staff of eight (8) zonal PV centers.
• Provide technical guidance and support to TMDA central and regional staff engaged in COVID-19 vaccines supportive supervision efforts to ensure rapid operationalization of the system, documentation of progress, any systemic bottlenecks, and development of technical solutions to overcome them; and to secure accurate, prompt and timely COVID-19 AEFI reporting by all participating health facilities in Tanzania, and their ultimate review, investigation, and causality assessment by higher level PV committees and the zonal and central levels.
• Deliverables
• Coordination meeting summaries
• Training materials on Covid-19 vaccines pharmacovigilance
• SOPs for the use of Vigiflow electronic PV reporting forms
• Training of Zonal PV trainers and staff in Covid-19 PV report
• COVID-19 vaccine awareness and vaccine safety materials dissemination report
• COVID-19 vaccine PV supportive supervision tool
• Training of Zonal PV staff on supportive supervision report
• Supportive supervision report(s)

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 60

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
To apply follow this link https://msh.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/job/Tanzania-Dar-es-Salaam/Recruitment-of-consultant-s--to-support-Covid-19-vaccines-pharmacovigilance-activities_R2060/apply 

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