Ministry of Health
Request for Applications
Department: Project Implementing Unit- Ministry of Health
Project: Southern Africa Tuberculosis Health System Strengthening Project
Background
The Government of Lesotho is implementing the Southern Africa TB and Health Systems Support (SATBHSS) regional project under the World Bank support. The aim of the project is to improve coverage and quality of key TB control and occupational lung disease services in targeted geographic areas of the participating countries and strengthen regional capacity to manage the burden of TB and occupational diseases. The interventions of the project are implemented through three overarching components; (i) Innovative Prevention, Detection, and Treatment of TB; (ii) Regional Capacity for Disease Surveillance, Diagnostics, and Management of TB and Occupational Lung Diseases; and (iii)Regional Learning and Innovation, and Project Management. In Lesotho, the project is implemented in ten (10) districts.
Under the project funds are available for strengthening community TB care using Centre of Excellence (COE) model in Berea, Maseru and Leribe districts. The general objective of this model is to improve TB control through active TB screening, diagnosis and treatment support by community based TB programs; The specific objectives are: to improve country TB case notification rate and treatment outcomes, increase the number of TB cases identified through active screening among Key populations and risk groups in targeted, under-served high burden communities, to improve early diagnosis and treatment of TB, TB/HIV and MDR-TB and to improve linkage to TB services for all detected cases and loss-to-follow-up and to improve awareness on TB, infection control and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in CoE target groups;
The CoE shall target mainly high-risk individuals at community level including: (i) miners, ex miners, their families, and communities; (ii) people leaving with HIV (PLHIV); and (iii) TB contacts with focus on children 0-14 years; in communities located in hard-to-reach areas of underserved and high burden TB districts.
In achieving the above-mentioned objectives, four key interventions were identified. They include the following: Innovative active TB screening, sputum referrals and linkage to care, patient treatment /follow-up/support and contact tracing and TB awareness and infection control. In implementing these interventions in the three (3) districts.
Position 2: Nursing Sister COE x 3 (Leribe, Maseru and Berea)
Responsible to: Medical officer
Job Summary
Under the supervision of the Medical Officer, the nursing sister will be responsible for ensuring that all clients reached with health services during the campaigns are screened for TB and HTS. Ensure that laboratory results of clients with signs and symptoms of TB are available on time. Ensure that all TB patients diagnosed as a result of community screening are linked to the nearest facility for care and treatment. Link HIV positive clients to the nearest facility for treatment initiation and care. The nursing sister will also be responsible for supporting the VHW to conduct contact tracing of index cases in line with the MOH guidelines. Increase awareness on TB and infection control measures during the campaigns. Ensure availability of supplies for the mobile x-ray truck. Produce weekly, monthly and quarterly periods. Supervise junior staff at mobile x-ray truck.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Ensures TB screening for all clients seen during the mobile campaigns.
- Supports HIV testing and counselling services of all clients reached through the mobile campaigns.
- Ensures availability of supplies, stationery, recording and reporting tools for the mobile x-ray clinic.
- Responsible for arranging logistics for specimens collected during the outreach campaigns to the laboratory and collection of results from laboratory.
- Assists in providing basic IEC material, conduct health education talks and counseling for TB and HIV/AIDS to clients reached through the campaigns.
- Coordinates VHWs the outreach campaigns with VHWs and other stakeholders in the community.
- Follows up referrals from mobile clinic to health facility.
- Performs sexual and reproductive health services at mobile clinic.
- Work with staff in mobile clinic to strengthen patients tracking, community and facility referral feedback.
- Implements set protocols and guidelines for quality nursing services.
- Documents patients’ information at the mobile clinic for communication with other health provided.
- Ensures onsite TB treatment initiation and linkage to care
- Keeps records for proper management and follow up of clients reached during the mobile campaigns.
- Produces a summary report including the indicators monitored from the mobile campaigns.
- Supervise junior staff working in the mobile x-ray truck.
- Performs any other duties related to the day to day running of the mobile x-ray truck
Required Qualifications and experience
- Diploma in general nursing and midwifery
- Registration with the Lesotho Nursing Council as a Nurse Midwife
- Training TB management would be an added advantage
- Must have at least 2-3yrs clinical work experience in TB/HIV collaborative activities and MCH services
Key Skills
- Excellent communication and writing skills
- Good report writing, training and computer skills
- Good organizational, observation, communication and judgment skills
- Team work ethics
- Public speaking
Duration
The Nursing Sister will be engaged on a twelve (12) months contract renewable based on performance and availability of funds.
Duty Station
The Nursing Sister will be placed in any of the three districts implementing the COE activities
Remuneration
Successful candidate will be offered market related remuneration.
Application Instructions
Interested and suitably qualified candidates should forward their applications indicating the advertisement and position on the subject line of letter together with detailed curriculum vitae indicating work experience and certified certificates and Identity document. Day time telephone contacts, names and telephone contacts of 3 referees should be included in the CV.
Applications to reach the undersigned not later than 1st November, 2021 1200hour to:
Procurement Specialist, Procurement Unit Ground Floor, Ministry of Health, Corner constitution & Linare Roads, Kingdom of Lesotho, Telephone: (+266) 59887382.
Only shortlisted and successful candidates will be contacted within two weeks from submission deadline. If you do not receive a call and email from us consider application not successful