OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This is a requisition for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

Contractual Agreement:

Non-Staff - International PAHO Consultant

Job Posting:

April 17, 2026

Closing Date:

April 24, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Primary Location:

Off Site

Organization:

CIM Comprehensive Immunizations

Schedule:

Full time

PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY

This requisition is for a consultancy at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Provide a short description of the objective of the office/department here.
• Provide a description of the purpose of the consultancy here.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

CONSULTANT: STRENGTHENING THE COMPETENCIES OF NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION PROGRAMS IN COUNTRIES OF THE REGION OF THE AMERICAS in HPV, HEPATITIS AND VECTOR-BORNE VIRUS VACCINES

Purpose of consultancy:

Provide regional-level technical support and coordinate closely with PAHO/WHO country immunization focal points to strengthen technical and operational competencies of national EPI programs in the following vaccines: 1) HPV; 2) Hepatitis; 3) arthropod-borne virus as yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and malaria

Background:

The Comprehensive Immunization Program (CIM) promotes and coordinates technical cooperation to support Member States in achieving sustainable and equitable reductions in morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), as part of the commitment to health as a fundamental right. For more than four decades, the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) has positioned the Region of the Americas as a global leader in the elimination and control of VPDs, including smallpox, poliomyelitis, rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, measles, and neonatal tetanus. Since its establishment in 1977, national immunization schedules have expanded from six vaccines to an average of more than sixteen, significantly increasing population protection.

Cervical cancer remains the third most frequent cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death among women in Latin America and the Caribbean, despite being largely preventable. The 2020 Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer established the 90-70-90 targets for 2030. In 2024, HPV vaccination coverage in the Region reached approximately 76% in girls by age 15; however, progress remains uneven and introduction is still pending in a few countries.

An estimated five million people in the Americas live with chronic hepatitis B, resulting in approximately 20,000 deaths annually. The EMTCT Plus initiative aims to reduce HBsAg prevalence among children aged 4–6 years to ≤0.1% through timely birth-dose vaccination, completion of the three-dose HepB series, and integration of hepatitis B interventions into maternal and child health services.

Vector-borne diseases continue to pose a significant public health threat in the Region. In 2025, increased yellow fever activity, including cases outside the Amazon basin, highlighted persistent immunity gaps. Countries must maintain at least 95% vaccination coverage in at-risk areas and ensure strategic vaccine reserves for routine immunization and outbreak response. Concurrently, recurrent dengue outbreaks represent a major regional challenge, requiring technical support for vaccine introduction in line with recommendations from SAGE, SAG, and GACVS.

Under resolution CD59.R13, “Reinvigorating immunization as a public good for universal health,” approved in 2021, CIM seeks to strengthen immunization program capacities through best practices and innovative approaches aligned with the six strategic lines of action of the Regional Immunization Action Plan 2030 (RIAP2030): governance and financing; coverage monitoring and surveillance with digital intelligence; integration into primary health care; strategic communication; human resource strengthening; and evidence-based decision-making.

Within the framework of the Disease Elimination Initiative, CIM proposes the hiring of an immunization consultant to support PAHO/WHO Country Office focal points in accelerating the elimination and control of vaccine-preventable and vector-borne diseases, including cervical cancer caused by HPV and perinatal hepatitis B transmission, while strengthening the technical and operational capacities of national teams.

Activities:

The selected consultant will provide technical support to the regional advisors that coordinates vaccination of HPV, Hepatitis and Arboviral Diseases within the PAHO Comprehensive Immunization Program in the following topics:

1. Technical cooperation on HPV vaccination