NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL OFFICER- EPI SURVEILLANCE

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Vacancy Notice No: KEN/VN/2013/024/025/026
Title: National Professional Officer – EPI Surveillance
Grade: NOB
Contract type: SSA
Duration of contract: One yearDate: 20 September, 2013
Application Deadline: 4 October, 2013

Duty Station: Isiolo, Lodwar and Kisumu, Kenya [3 positions]Applications are hereby invited from suitable Kenya nationals to fill the above post.

Terms of Reference:

Under the supervision of the WHO Country Representative - Kenya and in liaison with WHO Country EPI Team Leader, the incumbent will provide technical assistance in the area of routine immunization and active disease surveillance in order to achieve Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) indicators for polio eradication, strengthening Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR), strengthening Measles case-based surveillance, improving performance monitoring/coverage, activities to accomplish classification of all AFP cases. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health’s Division of Vaccines and Immunization (DVI) and Division of Disease Surveillance and Response (DDSR) Units, under the direction of and reports to the WR Kenya, NPO/EPI-Team Leader and works closely with the WHO EPI Surveillance Officer of the respective region.

S/he will provide technical support to VPD surveillance activities in all the refugee camps, as well as Dadaab and Jarajilla divisions of Dadaab and Fafi districts respectively in collaboration with the respective Refugee and District Disease Surveillance Teams and WHO EPI Surveillance Officer of the respective region.

Under the direct supervision of the National Professional Officer/EPI Team Leader, the incumbent performs the following duties:-

• Support the District and Refugee teams in the assigned region(s) to:

1. Sustain improved AFP surveillance indicators through, monthly mapping of poorly performing areas,
2. Provide technical support to poor performing areas,
3. Providing technical support during EPI and disease surveillance review meetings, coordination and Outbreak Control meetings meetings;

• Train/re-train health teams and peripheral workers on disease surveillance and control and immunisation;
• Support the area of assignment in the developing appropriate system for monitoring immunisation service targets, disease reporting system and disease outbreak investigation and response;
• Monitor EPI coverage, drop-out rates, disease trends and completeness/timeliness of EPI reports and provide timely feedback to districts and Refugee Health Team leader;
• Provide technical support in the development of annual immunisation and integrated disease surveillance plans of action and supervise all disease surveillance activities, including IDSR, in assigned area;
• Monitor disease eradication/elimination/control indicators at assigned level and area and provide technical support in the implementation of AFP, measles and NNT case-based surveillance systems and provide feedback to respective districts/subcounty during review meetings;
• Provide support in the planning, implementation and monitoring of Polio, Measles and TT SIAs in the assigned areas;
• Perform any other duties as assigned regularly by the WHO Kenya Country Representative and/or NPO/EPI-Team Leader.

Qualification/Knowledge: First University degree in Medicine or other Health Sciences related profession. Post graduate qualifications in Public Health or Epidemiology.

Desirable: Training in immunisation and vaccine preventable surveillance

Experience:

• Essential:   At least 5 years of practical experience in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating disease prevention and control activities.
• Desirable: Experience in working with immunization and surveillance programme is an added advantage.

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English and a working knowledge of Kiswahili. Somali language is an added advantage.

Other Skills (e.g. IT)

• Good knowledge and ability to use computer software for word-processing, spreadsheets and basic epidemiological and statistical analyses; demonstrated abilities for team-work

Application letter and latest Curriculum Vitae should be sent to:               

WHO Representative

P.O. Box 45335, 00100

Nairobi

Attention: Operations Officer  

Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted for interview.

Categories: HEALTH, PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, UN