ICAP Columbia University in Lesotho has signed an agreement with the Government of Lesotho represented by the Ministry of Health to provide expertise and technical assistance in the areas of TB and TB/HIV integration at national, district, health facility and community levels. Currently, ICAP at Columbia University in Lesotho is supporting the Ministry of Health in Strengthening Strategic Information for Health providing technical assistance and resources to national Health System; conducting Lesotho HIV Impact Assessment Survey (LePHIA2020); Tracking HIV new infections with Recency Assays to Control the Epidemic (TRACE) project, and supporting Ministry of Health on COVID-19 response in Infection Prevention and Control and Laboratory Assistance.
ICAP is recruiting for the following positions.
TRACE District Focal Person x2
Overall Job Function
Reporting to the TRACE Project Coordinator, the District Recency Testing Focal Person will provide operational and technical support to the DHMT, implementing partners and participating health facilities and communities to strengthen the integration of Point-of-Care (POC) testing for recent HIV infection into routine HTS testing. The incumbent will support key clinical, technical, operational and SI components of recency testing in line with MOH approved protocol.
Key Responsibilities:
- Coordinate activities implemented by DHMT, district laboratories, implementing partners and ICAP SI team to assure smooth integration of recency activities within routine HTS activities, including routine lab QC and data capturing systems.
- Provide technical and operational support to DHMT, district laboratories, implementing facilities and clinical partners for the monitoring and implementation of recency testing and related data capture and management.
- Support DHMT, clinical partners and implementing facilities with site level implementation and adherence to testing protocols and guidelines through training, mentorship and use of contextualized training material, guidelines, SOPs and job aids.
- Provide hands-on training and tools to implement and monitor continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities to improve POC HIV rapid recency testing, specimen management, data capture and analysis and monitor trends over time.
- Work with the DHMT, clinical partners and implementing facilities to develop and implement QI action plans to address implementation gaps and root causes.
- Work closely with ICAP SI team to strengthen capacity of DHMT, district laboratories, implementing facilities and clinical partners in paper-based and/or electronic data capturing (using DHIS 2), analysis and use of recency data to monitor testing and data quality, through training, mentorship and regular review meetings.
- Support DHMT, implementing facilities and clinical partners to collect, analyze and use recency data to determine epidemic trends, including identification of geographic and demographic hot spots and develop district-level response strategy with treatment and prevention efforts.
- Support the DHMT and its stakeholders with inputs for district and facility-level forecasting and needs estimates for recency testing kits.
- Support DHMT to lead the sensitization meetings with all stakeholders prior to project implementation.
- Perform other duties, as directed.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in Nursing, Public Health Programming or other related Social Sciences.
- A Post-graduate qualification will be an added advantage.
Preferred experience and other skills
- At least 5 years’ experience in implementation and management of HIV programs, HTS in particular, including planning, monitoring and evaluation and training and supportive supervision of health care workers.
- Strong knowledge of Lesotho health care system and experience working with DHMTs and other implementing partners.
- Knowledge of quality assurance procedures and interpretation of QC results.
- Familiar with current HIV/AIDS testing and research methods.
- Demonstrated experience in health system strengthening.
- Demonstrated experience in data management and analysis skills.
- Proven ability to effectively train and build capacity of local/country partners.
- Fluent English oral and written communication skills; ability to interact professionally in English.
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
- This position is based in Butha Buthe or Mokhotlong district with frequent travel to implementing facilities.
Application Instructions
- Interested and qualified candidates are requested to submit their application via ICAP career page – https://icapacity.icap.columbia.edu/ on or before February 04, 2022 at 12:00 noon.
- Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Columbia University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer