Medical Referent - Yobe Project in Nigeria - M / F at Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA)

Location: Yobe, Nigeria
Contract Term: Contract Under French Law, 6 months
Desired Start Date: As Soon As Possible

ALIMA’s Ethos

• ALIMA’s purpose is to save lives and provide care for the most vulnerable populations, without any discrimination based on identity, religion or politics, through actions based on proximity, innovation, and the alliance of organizations and individuals. We act with humanity and impartiality in accordance with universal medical ethics. To gain access to patients, we undertake to act in a neutral and independent manner.

Our Charter Defines the Values and Principles of Our Action:

• Patient First - Patient centered medical care
• Revolutionizing humanitarian medicine through research
• Responsibility and freedom: encourage decision-making by those closest to patients
• Commitment to a dynamic of continuous quality improvement
• Creating a climate of trust among colleagues
• Collective intelligence
• Environmental liability

Caring - Innovating - Together:

• Since its creation in 2009, ALIMA has treated more than 6 million patients. Today ALIMA works in 12 countries in Western and Central Africa. In 2020, we developed 41 humanitarian medical response projects to meet the needs of populations affected by conflict, epidemics and extreme poverty. All of these projects support national health authorities through nearly 330 health structures (including 28 hospitals and 300 health centers). We work in partnership, especially with local NGOs, whenever possible to ensure that our patients benefit from the expertise wherever it is, whether in their country or the rest of the world. In addition, to improve the humanitarian response, we are carrying out operational and clinical research projects, particularly in the field of the fight against malnutrition and hemorrhagic viral fevers. ALIMA is also leading operations in response to the covid-19 pandemic across all of our missions.

ALIMA’S Team

• More than 2000 people currently work for ALIMA. The field teams, as close as possible to the patients, receive their support from the coordination teams generally based in the capitals of the countries of intervention. These receive support from the 4 desk teams and the emergency and opening service team based at the operational headquarters in Dakar, Senegal.
• The Paris and New York teams are actively working on fundraising as well as representing ALIMA. The rest of the ALIMA Galaxy includes individuals and partner teams who work on behalf of other organizations such as medical NGOs BEFEN, ALERTE Santé, SOS Médecins / KEOOGO, AMCP, research organizations PACCI, INSERM, Universities of Bordeaux or Copenhagen, the NGO Solidarités International and many others.

Countries Where We Work In 2020:

• Mali, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Guinea, South Sudan, Mauritania & Senegal.

The Work We Do Covers:

• Primary and Secondary Health Care, with a main focus on children and women - including treatment and prevention of acute malnutrition, maternal health, mental health, response to epidemics (Ebola, Cholera, Measles, Dengue, Lassa Fever), surgery, displaced populations, and gender based violence, Covid 19.

Governance:

• ALIMA is governed by a Board of Directors of 10 elected positions and 4 co-opted positions from representatives of West African partner NGOs.

Post Location:

• In Nigeria, ALIMA is running four health and nutrition projects in Borno State (Maiduguri), Yobe state ( Queshua) , Research and Lassa fever response in Ondo State, OWO. ALIMA’s teams in Nigeria represent about 25 expatriates and 150 national staff.

Mission and Objectives:

• The Medical Referent of the ALIMA Maiduguri Project is the ALIMA representative and responsible for the implementation of program/medical activities in Karasuwa and YusufariLGAs.
• In close collaboration with the Project Coordinator, Medical Coordinator, and Mission Coordination team, define and plan the project objectives and priorities, the risks and constraints and calculating human and financial needs.
• Cultivate the relationship with the MoH stakeholders in order to implement efficiently and ensure the goals as well as to improve targeted population’s health conditions and humanitarian situation.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Ensure actively in different Wards of Karasuwa and Yusufary program activities that ALIMA’s charter, policies and image are respected with regards to national employees, populations, authorities and partners
• With support of the PC, steer and supervise the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project in collaboration with the project team and according to the internal and donor indicators in order to evaluate the level of achievement of the project objectives
• Provide technical support to medical personnel in the field ensuring the implementation of all ALIMA medical activities follow relevant policies, protocols, and national guidelines. Directly supervise the Nurse Supervisor, SRH Supervisor, Pharmacy Supervisor, MHPSS psychologists, and medical doctors. Oversee team member work for quality and guidelines compliance, and assist team members when they have questions or problems. Delegate some technical task to NAM or MAM or SRH Manager if available
• Ensure that skilled, highly motivated and duly registered (by respective professional regulator bodies) health staffs are provided to the project to support staff. In the same view, ensure the quality of the recruitment processes, follow up and coaching of staff is maintained.
• Manage the project pharmacy to ensure efficiency and validate medical orders to the central pharmacy for project activities. Monitor consumption and liaise with medical coordination regarding needs in order to avoid stock-outs in the consumption unit. Also support the pharmacy supervisor on the supply on medical items.
• Compile and analyse medical/program data for reports (medical sitrep…) to the medical coordination and project coordinator on project’s evolution. and propose corrections if needed.
• Ensure a quality of data collection and epidemiological surveillance system, in agreement with the medical coordination, in order to define medical and technical programs and preventive protocols for the targeted population. Participate on the management of epidemics, disasters, etc., in conjunction with the MOH.
• Supervise full implementation of safety and health protocols, reporting to the Medical Coordination and Project Coordinator on risky behaviours, in order to ensure safe working conditions for the project staff. Implement the health policy for national staff; provides all prophylactic and preventive necessary measures, structures and emergency plans; manages any medical evacuation in order to ensure ALIMA staff health.
• Provide inputs on the budget processes, work plan, procurement plan, and participate in the monitoring of the budget consumption to ensure operational effectiveness and efficiency. Supervise all orders (medical and logistical) for program implementation at the project level with the support of the project team, and collaborate with the coordination team and project team for the international and national medical orders.
• Participate in various partner meetings for the smooth running of the project: LGA health and Nutrition sector meetings, technical meetings, partner coordination meetings, etc. in order to maintain effective and good collaboration with different stakeholders and thereby improve the implementation of the project.
• Ensure that excellent communication and effective working relationships are maintained within the project between staff, managers, PC, and mission Coordination. Disseminate key messages and guidance to medical staff. Relay relevant information from the field (safety/security incidents, outbreaks, etc.) to the Project Coordinator and Medical Coordination.
• Participate with the collaboration of the PC, in different assessment in Yobe state and drafting of the proposal. Participate in the opening of new medical activities in different LGAs.
• Contribute to the operation and running of any research projects where appropriate by providing clinical advice on the relevance of research projects and attending research team meetings.
• Perform any other duty as assigned by the organization through the head of the Medical Department or Project Coordinator.

Experience and Skills
Educational:

• Medical Doctor diploma.
• Essential minimum 2 years experience as a similar position in medical activities related jobs.
• Desirable working experience in ALIMA or other NGO’s in developing countries
• Experience in the position of referent doctor
• Project experience combining hospital and OPD activities

Required Skills:

• Essential computer literacy (Excel, Word, Outlook and Internet)
• Well organized with good negotiation and communication skill
• Ability to work as part of a team, a part of multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary team, in emergency and under pressure, to manage stress easily and result oriented
• Can work and create teamwork, flexible, and committed to the assigned position
• Interest in and commitment to ALIMA’s activities, enthusiasm to represent the organization to others, to travel to different regions of Nigeria
• Languages: English compulsory, others are an asset.

Salary

• Depending on experience

ALIMA pays for:

• Travel costs between the expatriate’s country of origin and the mission location
• Accommodation costs
• Medical cover from the first day of the contract to a month after the date of departure from the mission country for the employee
• Evacuation of the employee