Background
The International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) lead project with support through a collaboration with Project Resource Optimization (PRO) Impact Initiative to execute four research activities under the Momentum Country and Global Leadership Project. The project covers the following geographic areas, Bangladesh, Cote d’Ivoire, Malawi, and Nepal. A consultant is sought to support the studies in “Promoting country efforts on HPV vaccine program integration”.
In all four countries, the studies seek to involve leaders from four types of organizations: 1) government (e.g., EPI program managers, education officials, HIV and cancer specialists, and drug regulatory approval specialists), 2) country-integrated UN agencies or other ASCM members supporting vaccine programs, 3) bilateral or immunization partners supporting vaccine programs from country offices, and 4) representatives country-based civil society organizations.
Participants working at national and subnational level will be interviewed. Data will be collected from a minimum of 15 participants in each country, trying interview at least two participants from each type of organization. Participants will be selected according to predefined criteria and availability. The interviews will be conducted by experienced qualitative researchers, under the supervision of the study’s principal investigator, Dr. Chizoba Wonodi.
Interviews will be recorded, translated (as needed) and ultimately transcribed into English. Participants in the key informant interviews (KIIs) will be selected based on their proven knowledge of vaccine program decision-making and implementation. The background for the projects is detailed below:
I: Background to HPV prevention:
More than 90% of cervical cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)[1]. However, in addition to low screening and treatment rates, HPV vaccination coverage in these countries remains below global targets. By 2023, coverage of the final dose of HPV vaccine (HPVc) had reached only 20% of targeted girls worldwide, with 20% in low-income countries and 13% in lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) [2].
Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire and Nepal have adopted different approaches to HPV vaccination delivery, including the timing introduction, with Côte d’Ivoire beginning its HPV vaccine rollout in 2019, Bangladesh in 2023, and Nepal in 2025.
Study Objective
The Johns Hopkins International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), seeks to identify, collate, and disseminate evidence of program performance, implementation strategies, and remaining constraints to optimize HPV programs.
As the leading implementing partners for IVAC, the Management of Direct Consulting and Logistics (DCL) Limited therefore contracts you as an in-country Consultant for this MCGL project in Bangladesh. The details of your scope of work and job description are listed below:
Scope of Work
The scope of work for the Nepal consultant entails conducting KII for HPV and RSV as specified in the table below.
The Nepal consultant is expected to perform the following task:
- Engage in local ethical review to determine if the research is exempt from oversight it does not involve community members, or whether it requires formal ethical review. Seek ethical approval to proceed in each country, as required.
- Identify appropriate stakeholders for key informant interviews: in coordination with Johns Hopkins, the consultant will finalize a list of stakeholders and schedule virtual interviews (e.g., Zoom or WhatsApp-based) with a minimum of 15 stakeholders per country who serve in roles such as those described above (II.). This role will include sensitizing stakeholders to familiarize them with the study, including the objectives of the study and the role of Johns Hopkins International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC). The consultant will also identify potential interview times and schedule the interview, including follow-up with key informant study participants prior to the interview date to confirm their participation and reschedule if necessary. The consultant will compile and maintain a tracking spreadsheet listing all potential participants by country and the status of outreach and interview scheduling.
- Conduct interviews in the country, either transcribing interviews by hand or by AI (e.g., Rev.com) if feasible (the accent may make AI transcription low quality). Copy all transcripts to a OneDrive folder that the JHU teams has set up. All country teams will follow the same procedure.
- Gather grey literature and supporting documents of the HPV program operations in each country, working with the support of key informant interview participants or similar in-country experts. Documents may include post-introduction evaluation reports, communication outputs (new media reports, including in local languages, social network publications, TV/radio clips) and documents related to HPV program implementation, such as communication strategies, committee meeting minutes, committee presentation slides and documents. The consultant is not responsible for the translation of documents.
- Quality check transcripts for accuracy and completeness for interviews conducted in languages other than English.
- Review the analyses for each country according to the expertise of the country’s healthcare system.
- Organize a virtual data validation and dissemination meeting with the country’s key stakeholders, including the JHU/Malawi team (joining remotely).
- Coding of individual transcripts using Dedoose with a code book co-developed by other in-country consultants and JHU.
- Present study findings locally and/or internationally (e.g. regional meetings).
Period of assignment
The duration for the contract shall be September 2025 – September 2026, with only dissemination activities following in March 2026. Johns Hopkins will produce policy briefs summarizing. Implementation strategies that support inclusive and sustainable HPV vaccine programs. The study teams in each country are responsible for local dissemination.
Study team: Dr. janak Thapa and Dr. Deependra Kaji Thapa