Purpose of the Consultancy

The consultant is being recruited to provide technical support to the polio outbreak response and routine immunization strengthening in Papua New Guinea.

Background

Following the declaration of a polio outbreak in Papua New Guinea on 15 May 2025, the National Department of Health (NDOH), WHO, and key partners launched a rapid polio outbreak response. This included deploying international consultants to provinces to oversee an integrated Supplementary Immunization Activity (SIA) utilizing nOPV2 and fractional IPV, alongside routine vaccinations.

An interim review was conducted from 9–11 December 2025 led by the PNG Polio Technical Advisory Group (TAG), NDOH, and WHO. This review was attended by the provincial health authorities and partners such as UNICEF, Governments of Australia and Japan, CHAI and AIHSS. It was concluded that based on available surveillance data from AFP and environmental samples tested, the Polio TAG considers the outbreak ongoing and advises the national programme to continue operating on this basis. Further, Polio TAG recommended to conduct additional round of SIA in high-risk provinces and in provinces that performed poorly in the 2 SIA rounds.

Consequently, WHO PNG will continue to deploy international consultants to critical provinces to support the polio outbreak response. Consultants will also provide technical assistance to increase local capacity to strengthen routine immunization to prevent future vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks such as polio and measles.

Deliverables

Under the overall supervision of the WHO acting Representative and Team Lead of Vaccine-preventable Diseases Unit, the incumbent will support Provincial and District Health Authorities in implementing an integrated vaccination campaign using nOPV2 and routine vaccines and in strengthening routine immunization.

Output 1: Support provincial and district health authorities in preparing for the integrated vaccination campaign, including:

1. identification of all the needs for the integrated campaign at provincial and district levels (including finance, vaccine supply and logistics, human resources, transportation, etc.).
2. preparation of micro-plan and day-wise plan for the integrated campaign.
3. implementation plan (including coordination, logistics, social mobilization, etc.);
4. monitoring and supervision plan.
5. identification of human resource gaps and support local recruitment of vaccinators, team supervisors and social mobilizers.

Output 2: Support provincial and district health authorities in implementation for the integrated vaccination campaign, including:

1. on-site coordination
2. rapid coverage monitoring
3. daily reporting and recommendations to Provincial and District Health Authorities.

Output 3: Support provincial and district health care staff in implementing VPD surveillance, including:

For VPDs:

1. Conduct on-the-job trainings on VPD surveillance for local surveillance staff
2. Conduct active surveillance in health care facilities
3. Ensure complete and timely reporting of surveillance data from province to the national level
4. Review quality and performance of VPD surveillance indicators and recommend improvements

Specifically for polio:

1. conduct case investigation,
2. complete case investigation form,
3. facilitate collection of stool samples from AFP cases (and from their contacts, when required),
4. facilitate shipping of stool samples to the Central Public Health Lab in Port Moresby,
5. conduct 6-day follow up on AFP cases, when required and
6. conduct active AFP cases search during the campaign

Output 4: Support provincial and district health care staff in accelerating routine immunization through integrated health service delivery including:

1. optimization of vaccination strategies, mapping of priority districts/health facilities, and development of micro-plans
2. facilitation quarterly reviews to monitor and evaluate immunization programme, data quality, and VPD surveillance performance indicators Conduct supportive supervision, on-the-job training and mentoring for health workers in health facilities and districts
3. Supporting training of staff on micro-planning, immunization-in-practice, VPD surveillance and other related capacity building activities
4. Conducting supportive supervision, on-the-job training and mentoring for health workers in health facilities and districts

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: University degree in Public Health or any health-related field.
Desirable: Post-graduate degree in Public Health

Experience

Essential: At least 5 years’ experience in immunization programme (e.g. polio, measles, vaccination campaign, etc. in developing countries)
Desirable: Working experience in the Pacific Island countries and/or Papua New Guinea

Skills/Knowledge:

• Expert knowledge of public health
• Good knowledge of VPD outbreak response and preparedness plan
• Good knowledge of planning, implementing and monitoring SIAs, conducting mass vaccination campaigns and AFP surveillance particularly in countries or areas with security issues and limited resources.

Language requirements:

Essential: Expert knowledge of English language (read-write-speak)

Location

Travel to Papua New Guinea is required, and consultant will be stationed at Provincial Heath Authority office in an assigned province:

Travel

The consultant is expected to travel according to the itinerary and estimated schedule below:

Travel dates: 01 Feb 2026 to 30 Nov 2026
Location: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Remuneration and budget

Remuneration: Payband level B, USD 7,000 (monthly)
Duration: 10 months, February to November 2026

Additional Information:

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be ac-cessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
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