MSF Operational Center Brussels is looking for a:
MEDICAL REPRESENTATIVE (m/f/x)
SOUTH AFRICA
CONTEXT
There is only one MSF operational center (OC) in South Africa and it is run by MSF OCB. For historical and practical reasons, the mission supports projects in both South Africa and on adhoc basis, in Lesotho in case of emergency interventions. There are currently no programs in Lesotho since the closure of the Roma Project in 2015.
MSF was active in South Africa (SA) in the 1980s to provide assistance to refugees from Mozambique until 1993. In 1999 the organization returned to the country due to the explosive HIV/AIDS situation.
The South Africa Mission currently consists of:
A DRTB/HIV project located in Khayelitsha, township of around 500.000 habitants in the outskirts of Cape Town, with a combined total of more than >49 000 people alive (end June 2020) and on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and a drug-resistant TB care and treatment component, aiming to improve quality of care and reduce morbidity & mortality through policy changes, innovation and examples of good practices;
A ‘Bending the Curves’ project located in Eshowe, KwaZulu Natal which achieved the 90- 90-90 UNAIDS goal for HIV in 2018 through successful community-based models of care that has been reoriented into a dedicated program for (OS and DR) TB aiming to identify and fill in the main gaps of the TB cascade of care;
A migration project based in Tshwane to ensure access to psychosocial and medical services to primarily undocumented migrants and asylum seekers and secondarily vulnerable South Africans;
MSF forms part of the Stop-Stockout coalition which monitors drug stock outs around South Africa;
An ongoing Covid-19 intervention located in KwaZulu-Natal Natal and Eastern Cape.
In addition to the mission, South Africa is host to the MSF Southern Africa section office (part of the OCB group). The MSF SA office, opened in November 2006, is located in Johannesburg. It supports MSF programs and the movement as a whole by providing medical expertise via SAMU (clinical training, epidemiological support, and technical support in specific medical arenas); operational and advocacy support; recruitment of medical and other professionals; communications activities; and fundraising activities.
PURPOSE OF THE POST
The Medical Representative will be supporting the projects and be the interface with the national authorities from the Ministry of Health in order to contribute to the success of the operations. This will include the monitoring of the context for medical humanitarian gaps triggering new assessments and explos. S/he will lead and participate in emergency interventions; support the projects with specific medical technical support. Unifying national policies in relation to national and expatriate health. S/he will lead and support the projects in the mission advocacy dossiers
RESPONSIBILITIES
Transversal accountability for elaborating Field Recentralisation in their environment:
National Context Surveillance & Emergency Preparedness
· Complement the ongoing MSF SA and Lesotho context monitoring by reviewing medical journals, media & social media for relevant medical topics (relevant event and actors that might have an influence on MSF operations) and disseminate accordingly.
· Provide analysis of political events and context that may impact access to health in South Africa and Lesotho, especially in locations where MSF is working and brief staff in case of major events/news.
· Emergency surveillance in close collaboration with context surveillance & regional med analyzing medical related trends within South Africa context: Monitor place, person and time trends in priority diseases of public health importance (focusing on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, TOP, SGBV, and Covid-19 but not exclusively.
· Participates in and/or supervises exploratory missions within SA, define needs and start the coordination of the implementation if needed, and support any ongoing emergency interventions
· Prepare the Country Emergency Preparedness Plan in collaboration with the projects.
Advocacy/ Leverage
· Provides active support to the Project Advocacy representative (Project Operational Responsible / Project Medical Responsible/other) and field teams on defining indicators aligned with advocacy activities.
· Ensures collection and coherence of medical data is done by the Project teams following the mission advocacy aims and that operational objectives are being reviewed on a quarterly/yearly basis in close collaboration with Regional Medical Responsible and Leverage Regional focal point
· Monitors progress of the mission advocacy related outputs on a quarterly and yearly basis and supports the teams on how best to reach those objectives
Medical Technical Support
Monitoring and Evaluation
· Provides active support to the Project Medical Responsible and field teams on defining indicators aligned with advocacy activities.
· Ensures collection and coherence of medical data is done by the project teams following the mission advocacy aims and that operational objectives are being reviewed in a quarterly/yearly basis in close collaboration with Regional Medical Responsible and Leverage Regional focal point
· Monitors progress of the mission advocacy related outputs on a quarterly and yearly basis and supports the teams on how best to reach those objectives
Pharmacy Support
· Supports projects with the approval of medical orders done by Project Medical Responsible based on established project standard lists and established chronograms.**
· Supports to Project Medical Responsible with the creation and quarterly revision of Standard lists related to ongoing projects or EPREP interventions.**
· Supports Project Medical Responsible with the implementation of proper PPE usage and follow up of PPE per project to ensure continuation of Covid-19 related activities.**
Staff Health
· Support, if necessary, in the follow-up of a case.
· To support Project Medical Responsible on the management of staff health through the overview and approval of all Exceptional Claim Forms submitted by Project Medical Responsible in close collaboration with national staff Health team.
· To support the linkage between Project Medical Responsible and dedicated contracted broker when there is any complicated medical case, in close collaboration with national staff health team.
· To assess how to improve the access to mental health services for the staff
· Staff health specific support to Project Medical Responsible according to their needs
Human Resources
· Brief & debrief key mission staff (including international staff) on advocacy and communication elements of the mission for the specified thematic areas.
· Support and mentor of Project Advocacy officer/Deputy Project Coordinators on advocacy related issues.
Associative
· Participate actively in the association activities if you are an associative member
Other
· Assist, within one’s capacity, with any additional urgent matters as they may arise including punctual gap filling within the SA projects.
REQUIREMENTS
Education:
Medical diploma/ degree required
Master’s Degree in Public Health is an advantage
Valid registration *at the Health Professions Council of South Africa (*HPCSA) required
Experience:
Essential previous field experience with MSF in different contexts and experience as PMR/Medical Coordinator.
Essential working experience in Southern Africa
Essential experience working with HIV/TB, SRH/TOP and SGBV.
Experience in emergency response and need assessment
Desirable: experience on advocacy or willingness to learn
Competencies:
Flexibility and adaptability
Diplomacy and negotiation skills
Clear communication and public speaking skills
Report writing and organizing skills
Coaching or mentoring skills and advantage
Excellent computer literacy (word, excel, PowerPoint and internet)
Languages:
English proficiency is mandatory
Local language an advantage
CONDITIONS
Expected starting date: asap
12 months fixed-term field contract, based in Johannesburg, Gauteng
This position requires occasional travel domestically (approximately 30%) to MSF projects in South Africa with potential regional or international travel.
Salary according to MSF-OCB Field salary scale, under remuneration policy of South Africa mission.
No family position
Adhere to MSF principles and to our managerial values: Respect, Transparency, Integrity, Accountability, Trust and Empowerment
Adhere to the MSF Behavioral Commitments
**
A dynamic and stimulating work environment alongside multicultural colleagues
How to apply?
Follow link: https://msfsa.bamboohr.com/jobs/view.php?id=208
Online applications to submitted by 6 December 2021
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
MSF values diversity and is committed to create an inclusive working environment. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of disability, gender identity, marital or civil partnership status, race, color or ethnic and national origins, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
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