Mobile Implementation Officer Health Promotion for Covid Vaccination M/F

Médecins Sans Frontières, an international medical and humanitarian association founded in 1971, provides medical assistance to communities faced with crises endangering their survival. These crises typically take the form of armed conflict but also include epidemics, natural catastrophes and even exclusion from healthcare. The French section of MSF is present in some thirty countries worldwide.

MSF is currently looking for a:

Mobile Implementation Officer Health Promotion for Covid Vaccination M/F

The HP MIO is hierarchically accountable to the clinical team leader of Nutrition, Vaccination and Epidemics S/he is functionally linked to Vaccine referent and works in close collaboration with the COVID referents. While in mission in the field, s/he works under the regular hierarchical and functional structures of the missions (Medical coordinator), by keeping its communication with the Medical Department as explained above.

Purpose

Currently, MSF-OCP is involved in COVID-19 vaccination in several countries (Peru, Kenya, Lebanon, France), with varying levels of involvement from HR or logistic support to MSF-managed site implementation. Discussions are currently underway for involvement in Brazil, Iran, Haiti Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. The limiting factor for MSF is access to vaccines, as we remain dependent on state-led mechanisms to receive doses. Negotiations are ongoing with states to support vaccination rollout, as well as requests to Covax via the humanitarian buffer stock mechanism. MSF has experience in cold chain management and other operational aspects of vaccination campaigns.

However, while MSF teams are largely capable of organizing a high-quality vaccination campaign, often attendance of the target population at vaccination has been sub-optimal; without sufficient people vaccinated, there will be limited impact. The main opportunity for improvement is to increase turnout by raising population awareness, understanding, and acceptance of vaccination. Currently, OCP has limited investments in “Health Promotion” activities related to vaccination. If we hope to better support Covid-19 vaccination rollout, the this component is critical.

Activities

General objectives

Overall, to contribute to the design and implementation of Health Promotion (HP) interventions related to COVID-19 vaccination in MSF OCP missions.
The HP MIO will visit the missions mentioned above (or others to be defined/prioritized) where there is already an activity of vaccination or plans to support implementation of vaccination activities (e.g. Peru: analysis of the vaccine strategy; RDC and Haiti: implementing vaccine HP strategy).
It is expected the post will develop monitoring tools for the HP strategy.
Guidance and support will be provided by PSEC/HP, vaccination and COVID referents in OCP.

Field assignments will be short term (4-8 weeks). Visit planning and specific TOR will be developed in conjunction with the Med-cell, the Medical Coordinator of the mission and the Medical Department in Paris.

The ToR could include several of the tasks below or others according to identified needs:

Responsibilities and description of field activities

Conduct rapid qualitative assessments to explore community perceptions of COVID-19 vaccination.
Develop the COVID-19 vaccination HP strategy for the project, and help the teams to define their specific HP needs according to their project context. Guide teams on how to implement these activities.
Conduct training sessions for MSF teams on HP frameworks, planning and evaluation tools.
Train local supervisors and HP staff on HP activities implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Support field teams in the recruitment of HP staff if needed
Support the initiation of COVID-19 vaccination HP activities in the projects, ensuring empowerment of field teams to enable continuation after the visit.
Participate in monitoring of COVID-19 vaccination HP activities.
Provide an end of mission report to be sent to coordination and field teams.
Contribute to the capitalization of different interventions and tools (HP guidance, vaccination monitoring).

Profile:

Education: Master in anthropology or sociology (social sciences), or in public health with a specialization in health promotion, or in community health (or a degree in nursing with a Master in community health care or similar).

Languages: Fluent in English and French

Experience:

Essential: working experience of at least two years in related positions
Desirable: working experience with MSF or other NGOs; working experience in developing countries
Experience in COVID context is an added value.

Knowledge: Essential computer literacy (Word, Excel and Internet)

Competencies: