Senior Research Assistant

Aga Khan University chartered in 1983 as Pakistan's first private international university, is committed to the provision of education, research, and health care of international standards relevant to Pakistan and the region. The affiliated Aga Khan University Hospital provides state-of-the-art clinical facilities and well-equipped diagnostic services. The University currently has teaching sites in Pakistan, East Africa, the United Kingdom, and Afghanistan, and is a major component of Aga Khan Development Network.

As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopt appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment.

The Department of Community Health Sciences (CHS) is the leading unit of its type in Pakistan, recognized regionally and internationally for the relevance, quality, and extent of its work in support of public health and the development of primary health care systems. It comprises of five major operational sections: Epidemiology & biostatistics, Health policy & management, Population & reproductive health, Environmental health & climate change, and non-communicable diseases & mental health.

This is a grant funded contractual position.

• develop the quarterly EPI micro-plan and monthly outreach vaccination plan for evidence-based implementation, covering zero-dose, defaulter and due-dose children
• identify potential outreach vaccination sites in the assigned catchment area of the Union Council
• develop and update the monthly defaulter children list, and use the updated zero-dose children list to ensure timely coverage
  make follow-up phone calls to parents/caregivers for defaulter retrieval
• coordinate with local Lady Health Workers (LHWs), Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Community-Based Vaccinators (CBVs) to raise caregiver awareness of routine immunization and to facilitate outreach sessions for maximum coverage of zero-dose, defaulter and due-dose children
• conduct awareness sessions with caregivers, mothers and community members on the importance of routine immunization, vaccine safety and completion of the vaccination schedule
• ensure proper vaccination, record keeping and vaccine waste management as per EPI SOPs/protocols
• ensure daily use of SEIR and maintenance of EPI recording and reporting tools
• maintain the vaccine cold chain and update the daily temperature monitoring chart and vaccination coverage chart as per EPI protocols
  ensure proper placement of vaccines in the Ice-Lined Refrigerator (ILR) at the centre and in the standard vaccine carrier (SVC) with cool packs during outreach
• report on the Vaccine Logistics Management Information System (VLMIS) and submit monthly antigen-wise coverage to the DHO Office for vaccine wet and dry logistics forecasting, based on targets and the previous month’s coverage
• coordinate with immediate supervisors (TSV, DSV) and the District EPI Focal Person of the District Health Management Team (DHMT)
  facilitate district EPI monitors during monitoring visits
• perform any other tasks assigned by the supervisor(s).

• matriculation / Intermediate; a Diploma in Dispensary will be preferred
• own motorbike and a valid motorcycle driving license 
• at least 1–2 years’ experience in vaccination with the Government EPI, COVID-19 vaccination programme or a private hospital
• experience in maintaining and updating EPI recording and reporting tools
• experience in daily use of SEIR 
• knowledge of proper vaccination practices and vaccine waste disposal as per EPI SOPs
• knowledge of vaccine cold chain maintenance and temperature monitoring
• good interpersonal and communication skills for community awareness and caregiver follow-up
• ability to coordinate with LHWs/CHWs, community volunteers and district EPI staff
• willingness to travel within the assigned Union Council(s) of District Jacobabad

Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted.