Liberia has recorded two positive environmental samples of polio (CVDPV2) as at March 1, 2024 indicating the risk of further positives (either environmental or human). The current attached slides are to be updated with the second confirmed case and shared with partners. There are ongoing polio transmissions in Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea which are all bordering Liberia.
These bordering countries had earlier planned Sub-national Immunization Days (SNIDs) and National Immunization Days (NIDs) respectively which have been postponed on several occasions with the latest dates being May 10 – 14, 2024. This situation coupled with the sub-optimal routine immunization data places Liberia as a high-risk country and an outbreak response including a nationwide immunization campaign needs to be conducted as soon as possible. The immunization campaigns need to be synchronized across the three countries in order to achieve maximum impact and thus the propose dates is also May 10 – 14, 2024to allow for logistics, vaccines, surge etc to be in place.
II. Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) is a key component of UNICEF’s work, as it is essential for long term and sustainable behavior and social changes that impacts on the lives of children and adolescents, their families and communities.
Liberia is expected to conduct 2 rounds of National Polio Outbreak Mitigation and response activities . UNICEF is the pillar lead for SBC, vaccine management and cold chain; as such, there’s a need to recruit qualified SBC consultants in each of the 15 counties who will support the county health teams to plan, implement and evaluation the polio campaign SBC activities in those counties.
The nOPV2 campaign will require huge logistical and human resource needs . The need to have adequate staffs at the county-level to coordinate, support the County Health Teams and provide supportive supervision for the successful implementation of the campaign cannot be overemphasized. there is a need for coordination among GPEI, development partners and government agencies to ensure that there are strategies to address special populations and hard to reach population groups across national, regional, district and sub-district levels to adhere to the preventive protocols that will curb the spread of the pandemic in Liberia while safe guarding the essential needs of children and caregivers.
III. Scope of Work:
• To support the SBC Specialist and the National teams develop strategies and detailed plans on social mobilization for Polio Out Break Response and ensure that all additional risk communication and community engagements content activities meet expected quality standards and are effectively planned, implemented and monitored. •
To support the National team to monitor the SBC component of the campaign, manage rumors, hesitancy, and refusal, and promote cross-border surveillance and response activities and provide support to the county SBC Consultants on raising awareness amongst communities to increase demand for polio vaccine.
IV. Work Assignment Overview:
Tasks/Milestones Deliverables/Outputs Timeline Estimated Budget
Support the SBC Specialist and the National teams develop strategies and detailed plans on social mobilization for Polio Out Break Response and ensure that all additional risk communication and community engagements content activities meet expected quality standards and are effectively planned, implemented and monitored.
• Contribute to the update of the National social mobilization strategy and plan for polio outbreak response activities
• Conduct field monitoring visits in urban as well as hard to reach areas and document findings
• Support the Conduct social mapping (map nursery schools, marketplaces, IDP camps, communication partners; their locations and the type of communication activities, hard to reach communities
• Support county SBC Consultants to develop micro-plan or update existing micro- plan
• Support county SBC Consultants to plan and coordinate advocacy meetings and community engagement activities at the county, district and community levels
• Social mob strategies updated, and social mob indicators incorporated within program monitoring and feedback fine-tuned to inform social mob plans used in the field
• Copies of field monitoring reports available
• Social mapping Report available
• Copy of micro- plan available and shared with Polio SBC team at UNICEF
• All planned advocacy meetings conducted and well documented
• Risk communication plan to address vaccine hesitancy, rumors, refusals and AEFIs available; all vaccine hesitancy, rumors, refusals and AEFIs addressed in a timely manner
• Report on supplies distribution according to distribution plan
Education:
- Qualifications – A bachelor’s degree in social and behavioural science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, Public health, Development communication, public relations or other related social science field is required.
Work Experience:
- Professional/Technical experience – At least three years relevant SBCSBC experience in the health sector in lieu of a bachelor’s degree
- Relevant work experience in emergency response especially epidemics; Experience with public health communication and social mobilization issues
Other skills and competencies required:
- Other attributes essential for the assignment: Results-driven and good writing skills
- Knowledge of ODK or other digital data platform for analysis is a plus; ability to work in a fast-changing emergency setting, ability to use own initiative
Language Proficiency:
- Language skills required: Fluency in English and a local dialect is essential
VI. Working conditions:
- Field-based
- The consultant is expected to use his/her own ICT equipment.
VII. Supervision:
The consultant will be supervised by the Social and Behavior Change Specialist.
