IPC/EPI Assistant

The Terre des hommes Foundation (Tdh), with headquarters in Lausanne and an office in Zurich, is the leading Swiss child rights organisation with more than 2000 employees worldwide. We stand together with children to uphold their rights, protect their lives and improve their well-being. We achieve this through innovative programmes focused on health, migration and access to justice, specially designed to have a positive and sustainable impact.

Tdh has been working in Afghanistan since 1995 and carry out projects related to Child Protection, Mother and Child health and Livelihood Programs in Kabul, Balkh, Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.

Job Summary :

The IPC/EPI Assistant is responsible for monitoring infection trends and implementing infection control and National EPI standards across health facilities, and providing training to healthcare staff, managing outbreaks, and ensuring compliance with both infection control and WASH protocols to protect community health and minimise infection risks. They will also manage the implementation of routine immunisation across the health facilities, and will participate in all EPI provincial coordination meetings.

Main responsibilities:

1. Technical Support for Immunization, IPC, and WASH Services

• Support implementation of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) standards across all service areas of supported health facilities in accordance with national guidelines and standard operating procedures.

• Support routine immunization service delivery, ensuring proper session preparation, client flow, and adherence to safe vaccination practices.

• Promote safe injection practices, appropriate client screening, and reduction of missed opportunities for vaccination.

• Monitor and promote compliance with hand hygiene, appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), environmental cleaning, and disinfection practices.

• Supervise safe healthcare waste management, including waste segregation at source, sharps management, transportation, treatment, and compliance with disposal systems such as incineration or pits in accordance with national standards.

• Support implementation of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) standards in health facilities, including ensuring the availability and functionality of safe water supply, handwashing stations, sanitation facilities, environmental cleaning systems, healthcare waste management, cleaning materials, and infection prevention supplies in accordance with national standards.

• Promote rational use and maintenance of IPC, WASH, and immunization equipment and supplies.

• Support implementation of the WASH in Health Care Facilities approach (use of FACET Tool) or equivalent national quality improvement tools where applicable.

• Ensure the availability and appropriate use of hand hygiene facilities, cleaning and disinfecting materials, safe drinking water, and functional sanitation facilities within supported health facilities.

• Promote environmental cleaning standards and regular monitoring of high-risk clinical areas.

2. Monitoring Supportive Supervision, and Quality Improvement

• Conduct regular supportive supervision visits to health facilities to monitor implementation of immunization, IPC, and WASH activities.

• Conduct routine IPC and WASH assessments using standardized supervision tools and checklists, identify gaps, and recommend corrective actions (FACET Tools).

• Support implementation of continuous quality improvement initiatives to strengthen immunization, IPC, and WASH services.

• Contribute to routine data review meetings and performance monitoring to improve service quality.

• Promptly identify and report challenges affecting service quality to the supervisor and support follow-up actions.

• Support facility IPC and WASH committees in developing and monitoring action plans to improve infection prevention and environmental health practices.

3. Vaccine Management and Cold Chain

• In collaboration with the Pharmacist and Storekeeper, contribute in monitoring vaccine cold chain systems, ensuring appropriate vaccine storage, and immediately reporting temperature excursions or equipment failures.

• Support management of vaccines and immunization supplies, including stock monitoring, FEFO practices, forecasting, and timely reporting of shortages, wastage, or expiries.

• Support health facilities in maintaining adequate vaccine and IPC commodity stocks.

• At health facility level, work closely with the Nurse Dispenser to monitor and document ambient room temperatures in the pharmacy, and other critical service areas, ensuring compliance with national standards and promptly reporting any temperature deviations or equipment failures.

4. Health Information Management and Disease Surveillance

• Support vaccinators in maintaining accurate immunization records, registers, tally sheets, and reporting tools.

• Ensure timely, complete, and accurate EPI reporting in coordination with HMIS/MEAL and relevant health authorities.

• Participate in surveillance activities by identifying and reporting suspected vaccine-preventable diseases and other outbreak-prone diseases through established surveillance and early warning systems.

• Support data quality assurance, validation, and use of immunization and IPC data for decision-making and service improvement.

5. Outreach Community Engagement, and Coordination

• Support Nutrition Counselors in defaulter tracing and follow-up of children to improve immunization coverage and completion of vaccination schedules.

• Assist in the development and implementation of health facility microplans in collaboration with the MoPH Expanded Programme on Immunization Management Team and other stakeholders.

• Support planning and implementation of outreach immunization sessions, including target population identification, logistics, and field coordination.

• Promote community awareness on routine immunization, hygiene, handwashing, sanitation, and disease prevention through collaboration with Community Health Supervisors (CHSs), Community Health Workers (CHWs), and community leaders.

• Participate in coordination meetings, technical working groups, and other relevant provincial immunization and IPC coordination forums.

• Collaborate with CHWs and community structures to address vaccine hesitancy, improve caregiver awareness, and promote healthy hygiene behaviors.

6. Emergency Preparedness and outbreak Response

• Support preparedness and response activities for disease outbreaks and public health emergencies, including immunization campaigns, reinforcement of IPC measures, and implementation of emergency response activities.

• Contribute to maintaining continuity of essential immunization and IPC services during emergencies.

7. Other Responsibilities

Perform any other duties within the scope of the position as assigned by the supervisor.

Education :

• MD or diploma in public health from a recognized university.

• Successfully passed MoPH exit exam.
  

Experience / Skills :

• At least 3 years of supervisory experience in immunization services, outreach vaccination, cold chain management, WASH, or Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is required.

• Solid knowledge of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) standards, WASH protocols, immunization programs, and national EPI guidelines.

• Strong skills in vaccine management, cold chain monitoring, stock control, and prevention of vaccine wastage and stock-outs.

• Proficiency in IPC/EPI record-keeping, data collection, reporting, and use of relevant health information and monitoring systems.

• Good understanding of disease prevention, outbreak preparedness, infection control measures, vaccine safety, and quality standards.

• Ability to coordinate effectively with health facilities, project teams, and related departments to strengthen IPC practices and immunization services.

• Strong communication and report-writing skills, with the ability to prepare IPC/EPI reports and support health education activities.
  

Languages:

Fluency in local Languages and Working knowledge of English (written and spoken) is required.

IT knowledge :

Microsoft Office package

Tdh General Code of Conduct and Ethical Policies :

• Commits to promoting and complying with the Global Code of Conduct, systematically reporting any violations of the Code through Tdh's formal reporting mechanisms and dealing with any violations of procedures and processes appropriately.

• Raises awareness of the Foundation of the risks of policy non-compliance, violence and abuse, and related rights, towards children, community members and our own employees.

• Undertakes to comply with key ethical policies and guidelines, including the Safeguarding Policy, the Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy, the Conflict-of-Interest Policy and other policies related to the prevention of terrorist financing and criminal activities, as well as workplace behavior.

• Commits to putting values and principles into practice through exemplary behavior, in full compliance with the Code of Conduct, and always respecting established procedures and processes.

• Commits to developing a compliant and enlightened management culture within the organization and in our work with children and the communities in which we operate.

References :

Please note that all job offers will be subject to satisfactory references and checks (criminal record and anti-terrorism funding check). Terre des hommes will ask the Human Resources of previous organisations to provide references on any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment as well as fraud and corruption, during employment, or incidents under investigation at the time the candidate left employment.

Procedure:

Only complete applications (updated and accurate CV + covering letter) received through Tdh online application platform will be processed. It is essential that all information provided is complete, truthful and verifiable, as any discrepancies may affect your eligibility in the recruitment process.

Additional documents (diplomas, work certificates, etc.) will be requested at a later date. 

Please note that

• Only applications submitted through the online platform will be considered. Applications submitted by email, in person, or through other means will not be accepted.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stages of the recruitment process.

• Tdh upholds the principles of equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion, and maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward any harm, abuse, or exploitation of children or vulnerable adults by staff, representatives, or partners.

• Female candidates and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Tdh values the diversity, perspectives and contributions each individual brings to the team.