Health Officer, (HIV / AIDS) at UNICEF October, 2024

Purpose of the job:

Under the supervision of the Health Specialist, Maternal and Newborn Health and the general oversight of the Health Manager, MNCAH/HIV, the Health Officer (PMTCT/Paediatric AIDS) provides technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for PMTCT/Paediatric AIDS programmes/projects (including linkages with Adolescent HIV) within the Country Programme. This includes planning, preparing, executing, managing and implementing a variety of technical and administrative program tasks to facilitate programme development, implementation, programme progress monitoring, evaluating and reporting of results. The Health Officer will also be supporting FMOH for the timely implementation and reporting of PMTCT-Peads AIDS robustly funded by the Global Fund, PEPFAR and the Government.

Key function, accountabilities and related duties/tasks:

Support to programme development and planning

• Support the update of situation analysis, development, design, and management of the PMTCT/Paeds AIDS components of the MNCAH programme.
• Contribute to the development/establishment of the health section programme goals, objectives and strategies and results-based planning through analysis of HIV needs and areas for intervention and submitting recommendations for priority and goal setting.
• Support DPH/DFH/NPHCDA to convene regular joint meetings/conversations to review progress on service integration and service coverage, including situations are functional.
• Strengthen PMTCT and pediatric HIV indicators in MNCAH performance monitoring tools and review meetings by technical working groups and coordination platforms such NEMCHIC and RMNCAEH+N

Prepare required documentation/materials to facilitate the programme review and approval process.

• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programmes/projects and to report on required action/interventions at the higher level of programme management.
• Provide technical support for the conduct of the Annual Review of the National PMTCT/Pediatric HIV scale-up plan – as a strategy for national tracking and knowledge management.
• Facilitate Learning collaboratives through supporting analysis, evidence generation, sharing lessons from within Nigeria and sharing experiences from other countries; and ensuring global guidance/standards are followed (such as compliance to the updated WHO guidance on HIV testing/three test algorithm).

Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Provide technical and strategic support in operationalizing national policies, strategic documents, and action plans related to PMTCT/Paeds AIDS.
• Provide technical support to DPH/DFH/NPHCDA and coordination of integration of PMTCT/Paed AIDS into primary health care and the broader RMNCH structures.
• Provide technical support at federal and state levels to ensure that implementation guidelines, protocols and work plans align with the revised policies and strategies to deliver integrated MNCAH/PMTCT and pediatric HIV services.
• Provide technical support to NASCP/NTBLCP in coordination and knowledge management of a national Retention in care/Pediatric case-finding program.
• Provide technical support for Nigeria’s reporting on the Global Health Alliance to end AIDS in Children

Impact of Results:

The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Health Officer to programme preparation and planning and implementation of HIV/AIDS-related programmes/projects contribute to accelerating UNICEF and national development efforts to eliminate new HIV infections among children and to provide life-saving protection, care and support to children and their families affected by AIDS that in turn contribute to achieving UNICEF’s vision, commitment and goal to an AIDS-free generation that starts with children and the “Three Zeros” – zero new infection, zero deaths and zero discrimination.

Specifically, this support shall all contribute to efforts aimed at addressing, (I) outstanding programmatic gaps in PMTCT and Pediatric care (ii) challenges with reporting and improving programme efficiency through integration) and (iii) tracking of national and subnational data systems.

Minimum requirements:

• A University Degree in public health, pediatric health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, environmental health sciences, biostatistics, socio-medical, health education, epidemiology or other health related sciences is required.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in PMTCT/Paeds AIDS planning and management and/or in relevant areas of health care, health/emergency preparedness at the international level and/or in a developing country is required. Experience in PMTCT/Paeds AIDS programme/project development in UN system agency or organization is an asset.