An exciting role in the public health system of a country is the job of a Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator. This position at the central and regional levels is a critical position and deals with the monitoring and evaluation of systematic information exchange between the central and peripheral surveillance and other health related programs. WHO (World Health Organization) gives much importance to this position in the entire public health enterprise such that she/he is responsible for the preparation, implementation, monitoring and continuous evaluation of work-plans and achievements in line with national and regional priorities.
Roles and Responsibility of Public Health Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator
The Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator manages and coordinates the targets to be achieved by the WHO programs and oversees the public health data management systems. This role is designed to support the healthcare system in development of a monitoring and evaluation system in the country or region through systematic information sharing from the central to the field level related to surveillance and immunization.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator assists in the execution of WHO accountability structure and recommend mechanisms for efficient implementation, compliance and documentation.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator manages the delivery of information systematically according to the critical deliverables in the accountability structure for state or regional coordinators, Cluster coordinators and Field officers. In addition the Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator supports the implementation of the same for all public health staff under the zone or region.
This role also requires a systematic documentation of the technical performance of professionals and also to prepare periodic report for the Zonal coordinator and central Monitoring and evaluation functions to enforce accountability.
This position also supports all the work towards strengthening partnerships, advocacy and also the resource mobilization in support of continuous performance improvement of immunization services.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator also performs and oversees regular training need assessment and also undertakes capacity building activities to support immunization operations which include service delivery, vaccine supply and quality, logistics, surveillance, advocacy and communication). In addition the scope of activities also includes immunization safety and operational research.
Educational Qualification Required to Become Public Health Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator
The basic educational qualifications for this position are usually a graduate degree in medicine or any of the life sciences. A thorough understanding of the specialty of public health is important for getting into a job as a Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator. This position also requires one to be able to work effectively with colleagues at national and international levels and have developed skills and in-depth knowledge of monitoring and evaluation tools.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator should also have the ability to write reports and to work in a multi-disciplinary or interdisciplinary environment.
James Lind Institutes conducts multiple Advanced Diploma programs in Public Health and Tropical Medicine which helps candidates to acquire all the requisite knowledge to enter into the profession of monitoring and evaluation in public health. Particular stress is given in these programs towards epidemiology, public health research, disease control, disease surveillance and immunization.
