Technical / Clinical Officer
Organization Overview
The international division of Medical Care Development, MCDI, was founded in 1977 with the belief that MCD’s successful approach to health systems development in the rural United States could be adapted to meet the needs of developing nations. A global non-profit organization, MCDI uses practical, evidence-based and high-impact approaches to strengthen health systems in developing countries. For almost 40 years, MCDI has implemented public health programs in over 40 countries aimed at targeting the world’s most vulnerable populations. MCDI collaborates with donors, national governments, the private sector, health agencies, communities and local stakeholders to improve health and save lives in the following areas: malaria control; maternal, neonatal and child health; water, sanitation and hygiene; tuberculosis; HIV/AIDS; and other communicable diseases.
Our Silver Spring, MD office has a team of highly skilled, intelligent, and driven experts in public health that are committed to improving the health of vulnerable populations through integrated, sustainable and locally driven interventions.
Overview of the Position
MCDI is currently seeking a Malaria Clinical Technical Officer for the USAID funded Advancing Progress in Malaria Service Delivery (Impact Malaria) project. The objective of this contract is to provide implementation support services and technical assistance to ministry of health to accelerate progress in comprehensive malaria facility and community service delivery including malaria case management, malaria in pregnancy, and other malaria drug-based interventions. He/She will report to Impact Malaria Diagnostics Technical Advisor/Project Coordinator in Zambia.
Responsibilities
Provide technical support of all malaria activities with a focus on outreach Training and supportive supervision (OTSS). The Technical officer will provide technical leadership for the Impact Malaria clinical services including treatment of malaria and management of febrile illness in pregnant women and children under five years of age. Ensure the quality of processes and results of malaria treatment activities; Provide technical guidance to the malaria clinical staff in the implementation and monitoring of program activities; Provide technical oversight for the OTSS services with a focus on the clinical and MiP components Promote WHO’s new recommendation on intermittent prevention of malaria in pregnancy IPTp uptake and guidelines as a core component of the WHO three-prolonged approach.Oversee the adaptation of knowledge based training packages (such as WHO’s case management training packages) to competency-based training; Oversees all training activities in the areas of malaria clinical case management to be supported under the country Program; Oversees the collection, management and analysis of program data and information related to malaria treatment and management of febrile illness of pregnant women, including data on all health facility visits and post-training competency data ; Maintain a database of trained clinicians and key competencies; Liaise with provincial and district officers, and national level under guidance of the project coordinator. This includes coordination with the NMCP and the MOH at-large, on technical issues related to malaria treatment; malaria in pregnancy. Lead the technical assistance effort that will be provided to the NMCP on case management areas to include review and update of case management strategy, protocols and guidelines, development of case management training curriculum, strengthen quality control and quality assurance (QA/QC) protocols for malaria clinical case management, as necessary; Oversee the provision of supportive supervision of trained facility-based health workers; Oversee the development, updating and timely submission of program work plans and reports related to malaria treatment activities; Assist MCDI Home Office in the introduction of innovations such as programmable mannequins, use of self-instruction tools and distance learning tools such as clinical scenarios; Required Qualifications, Skills and Experience
A Medical degree or Bachelor’s degree in nursing or other related field Master in public health degree is an added advantage Experience with a mix of practical technical skills in malaria necessary for strengthening malaria service delivery at national, regional, district and community level. Experience in reproductive/maternal health including management of Malaria in Pregnancy (MiP) A minimum of -3- 5 years of senior-level experience providing technical assistance and project management in malaria or other public health programs; Demonstrated experience in malaria case management, particularly malaria treatment to include severe malaria; Experience providing technical assistance and capacity building in malaria clinical case management including quality assurance (QA)/quality control system, and QA in fever management; Experience training clinicians, desirable experience in supportive supervision; Experience in managing and/or providing technical assistance to national malaria control programs; Research experience in public health and clinical work would be an advantage; Monitoring and Evaluation experience or training would be an added value Experience with the public health sector; experience with private a bonus; Be competent managing individual cases and collective health issues; Good relation with local training institutions and research entities; Highly computer literate, familiar with programs for word-processing, spreadsheets, database management, presentations, and electronic communication; Self-motivated, diligent, organized, responsible, reliable; Excellent communications both oral (local languages, basic English) and written, able to write reports with minimal support from the Home Office; Willing to stay up to date in relevant clinical guides, SOPs; Be willing to spend up to 30% of the time in peripheral facilities assessing progress and making corrective actions; Ability to work as a team member, be responsive to requests from home office, prime, donor and local stakeholders (NMCP, MOH both central and regional) even if conflictive, inconsistent; Be able to devote 100% of time to this project (no teaching duties, no consultancies, no private practice of any kind); No records of professional misconduct, particularly but not limited to research misconduct when relevant;