Short term Consultant (WHO)

Call for Expressions of Interest and Proposal Job title: VN063 Short term consultant to support reviewing regulations and policies on vaccination in Vietnam; and provide suggestions to help improve regulations and policies in the coming times.

1. Background

On July 1, 2016, the Prime Minister issued Decree No.104/2016/NĐ-CP regulating vaccination activities. In addition, implementing reduced business conditions, on November 12, 2018, the Government issued Decree No. 155/2018/ND-CP on amending and supplementing a number of regulations related to business investment conditions under the state management of the Ministry of Health, including Decree No. 104/2016/ND - CP dated July 1, 2016. On August 15, 2022, the Government issued Resolution No. 104/NQ-CP on Roadmap to increase the number of vaccines in the Expanded Program on Immunization for the period 2021 - 2030. The Ministry of Health has also issued a number of important legal documents guiding vaccination activities; regulate the list of infectious diseases, scope and subjects required to use vaccines and medical biological products; regulations on monitoring, investigating, and evaluating post-vaccination reactions... These documents are an important legal corridor in managing vaccination activities, meeting state and social management requirements. At localities, access to and implementation of the above-mentioned legal documents have been seriously implemented.

From 2020, the Target Program on Health - Population for the period 2016 - 2020 ends, the tasks of the Target Program on Health - Population will turn into regular tasks of the local budget, leading to a number of regulations and policies during the implementation of the Health Target Program are no longer valid, including regulations and policies related to vaccination.

The objective of this short-term consultant position is to support the Department of Preventive Medicine in reviewing regulations, policies and instructions on vaccination in Vietnam; propose amendments, supplements or replacements of legal documents, guidelines of the Ministry of Health if necessary.

The consultant will work under guidance, in close collaboration with and support from GDPM officers from Vaccine and Biological Management Unit and technical officers from VDI team at WHO.

2. Planned timelines

Start date: 1/12/2023
End date: 31/12/2023

3. Work to be performed

Task number (1): Review the system of legal documents, regulations and instructions on vaccination in Vietnam, including:

Law on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases
Decree No. 104/2016/ND-CP dated July 1, 2016 of the Government regulating vaccination activities
Decree No. 155/2018/ND-CP dated November 12, 2018 of the Government amending and supplementing a number of regulations related to business investment conditions under the state management of the Ministry of Health
Resolution No. 104/NQ-CP dated August 15, 2022 of the Government on Roadmap to increase the number of vaccines in the Expanded Program on Immunization for the period 2021 - 2030
Circular No. 34/2016/TT-BYT dated November 12, 2018 of the Ministry of Health detailing a number of articles of Decree No. 104/2016/ND-CP dated July 1, 2016 of the Government regulating about vaccination activities
Circular No. 38/2017/TT-BYT dated October 17, 2017 of the Ministry of Health promulgating the list of infectious diseases, scope and subjects subject to mandatory use of vaccines and medical biological products.
Circular No. 24/2018/TT-BYT dated September 18, 2018 of the Ministry of Health regulating the establishment, organization and operation of the Professional Advisory Committees to assess adverse events following immunization.
Circular No. 05/2020/TT-BYT dated April 3, 2020 of the Ministry of Health amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 24/2018/TT-BYT dated September 18, 2018.
Decision No. 1575/QD-BYT dated March 27, 2023 of the Ministry of Health on instructions for pre-vaccination screening for children.

And other related regulations and instructions.

Estimation of number of days needed for the task number 1: 10 days

Task number (2): Synthesize and collect instructions from the World Health Organization, the World Health Assembly, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and other international organizations and countries around the world on vaccination.

Estimation of the number of days for the task number 2: 8 days

Task number (3): Compare and contrast vaccination guidelines from international organizations and countries around the world with those of Vietnam.

Estimation of the number of days for the task number 3: 7 days

Task number (4) Provide recommendations for future amendments, supplements or replacements to legal documents and instructions of the Ministry of Health on vaccination if necessary.

Estimation of task number 4: 5 days

Expected outcomes/deliverables:

Summary report comparing the results of reviewing the system of legal documents on vaccination in Vietnam that pointing out the differences and gaps of legal documents/guidelines compared to international practice need to be addressed
Specific recommendations for each document for future amendment, supplement or replacement of legal documents and instructions on vaccination in Vietnam.
Prepare PPT and present results with GDPM and WHO

4. Specific requirements

a. Qualifications required:

Bachelor of Public Health or Doctor of Preventive Medicine
Holding a Master qualification in Public Health or Preventive Medicine would be of advantage

b. Experience required:

At least 10 years of experience in the field of preventive medicine.
Have experience working with state management agencies, understand regulations and processes for developing and promulgating legal documents.

c. Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

Ability to work independently and in groups.
Knowledge of infectious diseases and disease prevention vaccines, legal documents on vaccination in Vietnam

d. Language requirements:

Good English for reading, writing and speaking

5. Place of assignment

General Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health (135/1 Nui Truc, Ba Dinh, Hanoi)
World Health Organization Office (304 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Hanoi)

6. Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

7. Travel

The Consultant is expected to travel upon request from GDPM and in an agreement with WHO. All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance.

Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

8. Budget

Please take note of the following when submitting application: The contractor will be responsible for paying taxes, if any.

Those who are interested can contact our focal person with contact detail at the end of the announcement before/by 21 Nov 2023 and should be addressed to: