The EPI/Surveillance Officer will be part of the health team in Gambella and works towards strengthen community-based surveillance of AFP, measles and NNT as well as priority zoonotic diseases. They will support the team in trainings for community level and facility-based health providers to ensure that Surveillance is an integral part of the activities. The EPI officer will have a big role to play in ensuring that EPI/Surveillance program are accepted by the beneficiary community by working with HEWs, human health workers, animal health workers and other community level stakeholders such as Community Health Volunteers (CHVs/HDAs) to improve the awareness of the community to identify and report vaccine preventable diseases and priority zoonotic diseases.

Major key Responsibilities:

• Establish community-based surveillance activities for case detection and reporting, community awareness raising and participation

• Train CVs/HDAs and health workers on vaccine preventable diseases and priority zoonotic diseases.

• Support review meeting at health post, woreda and zonal levels.

• Conduct regular health facility assessment to improve immunization coverage and active case search.

• Conduct Joint supportive supervision with Government staff.

• Establish linkage between CVSFPs and HEWs

• Strengthen targeted woredas immunization service to improve routine immunization coverage and achieve polio eradication

• Community sensitization on routine immunization.

• Prepare and distribute IEC materials for community mobilization.

• Train HEWs & Health workers on Immunization

• Identify and facilitate maintenance of non-function refrigerators and motor bikes.

• Support health facilities in outreach and defaulter tracing activities to improve EPI program.

• Support Polio supplemental Immunization Activities (SIAs)

• Strengthen effective partnerships between Government, PVOs, NGOs, bilateral and multilateral agencies for information sharing

• Improve documentation, reporting and utilization of immunization data especially at health post levels.

• Represent IRC to local communities, government departments and local partners.

• Support the senior health officer in report writing and submit both donor and Government on monthly, quarterly, Bi-annually and annually. 

• Support senior health officer in budget monitoring and preparing activity, spending and procurement plans.

• Support the target woredas during micro planning, performance monitoring and evaluation of EPI and disease surveillance.

• Provide programmatic update on regular base at least twice in a month for the Senior health officer.

• Support the senior health officer in design and project implementation strategy for the effective integration of the project with the existing and other IRC project.

• Conduct any other relevant activities or duties as supposed by the supervisor.

Job Requirements

Education and experience

• Public Health/health Officer/Nursing qualification from a recognized college/University.

• Work experience: Minimum of 4 years of relevant experience for diploma holders, 2 years of relevant experience with the first degree and 1 years of relevant experience for postgraduate

• Work experience in immunization, and PHEM is an asset.

• Good project management skills. Ability to plan, organizes, and supervises implementation of community-based Surveillance project on AFP, Measles and NNT.

• Understanding of Expand program of immunization (EPI) and diseases surveillance /PHEM/ program implementation and policy in Ethiopia.  

Personal specifications

• Ability to work under pressure, long work hours and high workload.

• Excellent communication skills- verbal and written skills.

• Self-motivated, honest, highly responsible, and punctual.

• Ability to work as part of a team as well as to work autonomously when required.

• Ability to constructively address gaps and weaknesses.

How to Apply

Register using the following LINK

Note: Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply