National consultant to develop the validation report for elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Path to Elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia.

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Purpose of Activity/Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to support the Government of Georgia in the preparation of the National Validation Report for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV), in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) global validation guidance and criteria and to document the country’s progress toward the Path to Elimination (PTE) of hepatitis C virus (HCV).

The assignment will contribute to Georgia’s broader public health objective of achieving the triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B as part of an integrated and people-centered approach to communicable disease prevention and maternal and child health services.

The assignment will also support systematic review and consolidation of evidence related to prevention, testing, treatment and monitoring interventions for HBV and HCV, including integration within maternal, newborn, and child health services and national hepatitis elimination strategies.

The final deliverable will serve as the official national documentation package for submission to the WHO validation process and as a strategic reference for strengthening Georgia’s integrated elimination agenda for HIV, syphilis, HBV and HCV.

Scope of Work:

In close coordination with the Ministry of Internally Displaced People, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia (MoIDPLHSA), NCDC, WHO Country Office, NVTF, and relevant technical partners, the consultant/contractor will:

1. Review all relevant background materials, including WHO validation guidance, national policies, programme documents, guidelines, protocols, surveillance reports, study findings, immunization data, maternal and child health data, and hepatitis programme data relevant to HBV EMTCT and HCV PTE.
2. Develop a detailed workplan, timeline, and report outline aligned with the WHO national elimination report structure.
3. Map data sources, responsible institutions, and evidence gaps for all required programme and supporting indicators.
4. Draft report sections covering country context, health system overview, the national viral hepatitis programme, governance and coordination arrangements, strategic information systems, and implementation considerations.
5. Support compilation and drafting of the HBV EMTCT section, including evidence related to maternal screening, birth-dose vaccination, infant vaccination, prophylaxis and treatment where applicable, monitoring systems, and programme performance.
6. Support compilation and drafting of other sections, including evidence related to blood safety, laboratory systems, injection safety, harm reduction services, diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance of sequelae, in accordance with WHO PTE criteria.
7. Consolidate inputs from national experts and stakeholders into a coherent draft report, ensuring consistency in terminology, structure, and presentation of evidence.
8. Identify missing information, inconsistencies, and priority data gaps, and support follow-up with relevant programmes and institutions to address them.
9. Support the development of tables, annexes, figures, indicator summaries, and evidence matrices required for the report.
10. Compile all additional documents required for annexes and supporting materials.
11. Translate relevant materials and report sections, where needed, to support drafting, review, and submission.
12. Liaise and meet with section leads and relevant stakeholders to communicate reporting requirements, support section development, and prepare outlines and inputs for assigned chapters
13. Revise the draft report based on comments from MoIDPLHSA, NCDC, NVTF, CDC, WHO, and other partners, and prepare a final version for submission.

Duration: from 30 June 2026- to 30 August 2026.

Deliverables and Work Assignment Overview

Deliverable 1: Inception document / workplan
The consultant will conduct an initial desk review of key documents and engage with relevant stakeholders to define the scope and approach of the assignment. Based on this, the consultant will prepare an inception document outlining the proposed methodology, detailed report outline and chapter structure, timeline, and a comprehensive list of required documents and data sources. The deliverable will ensure alignment with WHO validation requirements and provide a structured roadmap for the assignment.

Output: Inception document/workplan, including proposed methodology, report outline, chapter structure, timeline, and list of required documents and data sources.

Delivery deadline: By 10 July 2026
Input days: 4

Deliverable 2: Annotated outline and evidence matrix
The consultant will systematically map all required report sections and indicators against available national data sources and responsible institutions. This will include identification of data gaps, inconsistencies, and areas requiring further validation. The annotated outline and evidence matrix will serve as a working tool to guide the drafting process and ensure completeness and traceability of evidence in line with WHO reporting standards.

Output: Annotated outline and evidence matrix mapping each required section and indicator to data sources, responsible institutions, and status of available evidence.

Delivery deadline: By 20 July 2026
Input days: 5

Deliverable 3: First draft of the national validation report
The consultant will develop the first full draft of the national validation report, including all core sections such as country context, health system overview, national viral hepatitis programme, EMTCT of HBV, and PTE of HCV. This will involve synthesis of validated data, integration of inputs from stakeholders, and preparation of tables, figures, and annexes. The draft will follow the agreed structure and WHO guidance.

Output: First draft of the national validation report, including draft sections on overall health system context, viral hepatitis programme, EMTCT of HBV, HCV PTE, implementation considerations, and sustainability.

Delivery deadline: By 1 August 2026
Input days: 8

Deliverable 4: Revised draft report
The consultant will revise the draft report based on consolidated feedback from the MoIDPLHSA, NCDC, WHO, NVTF, and other stakeholders. This will include addressing comments, refining analysis, ensuring consistency across sections, and incorporating any additional data or clarifications required. The revised draft will reflect a near-final version of the report.

Output: Revised draft report incorporating comments from the MoIDPLHSA, NCDC, NVTF, CDC, WHO Country Office, and partners.

Delivery deadline: By 15 August 2026
Input days: 5

Deliverable 5: Final national validation report package
The consultant will finalize the report, ensuring high-quality editing, coherence, and full alignment with WHO validation requirements. This will include finalization of the executive summary, tables, figures, annexes, and all supporting documentation. The final package will be prepared for formal submission and validation.

Output: Final national validation report package, including the final edited report, executive summary, annex list, tables/figures, and any supporting documentation agreed with counterparts.

Delivery deadline: By 30 August 2026
Input days: 3

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

Enter Disciplines:

Public health, epidemiology, medicine, health policy or related field.

Years of Experience/ Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required:

Work Experience:

Minimum 10 years’ experience in viral hepatitis policy, especially HBV and HCV prevention, surveillance, treatment and elimination frameworks.

Language Requirements:

English, Georgian

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills:

Expertise in technical writing, report drafting and synthesis of public health evidence. Experience working with national public health programs, surveillance systems and immunization and/or maternal-child health data.

Desirables:

Familiarity with WHO validation processes, EMTCT, or elimination/path to elimination reporting is a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others

[add the 8th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role].

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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Remarks:

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