Provincial Laboratory Services Coordinator

Supporting an AIDS-Free Era

Position Description

Background

John Snow, Inc. (JSI) seeks highly qualified and accomplished public health leaders and providers for the recently awarded United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/PEPFAR-funded Supporting an AIDS-Free Era (SAFE) Project in Zambia. The five year project which will be led by JSI in partnership with Abt Associates,mothers2mothers, and the Catholic Medical Mission Board, will work to reduce HIV mortality, morbidity and transmission, while improving nutrition outcomes and family planning integration in three provinces: Central, Copperbelt, and North-Western. USAID/PEPFAR SAFE will work with the GRZ, private sector and civil society institutions at the national, provincial, and district level to increase access to ART for HIV positive adults and children, reduce the incidence of new infections, improve Nutritional Assessment, Counseling and Services (NACS) and family planning services, and increase the capacity of local health institutions to better serve affected populations.

Position Title:  Provincial Laboratory Services Coordinator

Position Type: Consultancy

Location: Solwezi

Job Summary

The purpose of this job is to improve the well-being of people on ART through timely and accurate laboratory investigations in the era of antiretroviral therapy which have become even more important with the UNAIDS 90, 90, 90 strategy in addition to effective patient care. Biomedical scientists are now becoming critical members of ART teams in health facilities and communities. The incumbent, who must be fully registered with the Health professions Council of Zambia, will report to the Director of Clinical services at headquarters.

Primary Responsibilities and Duties:

• Provide leadership on how the project supports continuous laboratory services in all USAID/PEPFAR SAFE supported health facilities in each province ;
• Work with other partners including to ensure that the GRZ agenda on laboratory services succeeds in each province;
• Working closely with GRZ counterparts at provincial level, develop, implement and graduate to sustainability a sample referral system in Central, Copperbelt and Northwestern provinces of Zambia;
• Ensure that not less than 90% of people on ART in each province get their viral load tests done and receive their results at their appointment dates;
• Ensure that laboratory equipment is in good working conditions at all times in all SAFE supported facilities in each province;
• Spearhead the enforcement of standard operation procedures on the management of laboratory services;
• Provide regular feedback to the Provincial Director of Clinical Services on the use laboratory results use among clinicians and patient satisfaction regarding management of their results;
• Work with the GRZ counterpart to plan for buffer stock to take care of shortages in laboratory supplies including HIV test kits and selected laboratory reagents;
• Ensure that mobile service teams are well stocked with laboratory reagents as and when they need them;
• Conducts operations research intended to improve laboratory related patient outcomes;
• Attend appropriate Technical Working Groups at provincial level
• Any other duty assigned by the project leadership.

Desirable Competencies:

• Being able to work effectively with GRZ through PHOs and DHOs and health facilities;
• Good oral and documentation communication skills;
• Computer literate especially in word, excel, powerpoint and internet and
• People centred change agent and a unifying player in multisectoral teams.

Academic Qualifications:

• BSc Biomedical Sciences or equivalent with at least 5 years work experience or
• Diploma in Biomedical Sciences with at least 7 years experience
• Registered & Paid up member of Health Professions Council of Zambia (HPCZ)

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