National Clinical Mentor at National AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections Control and Hepatitis Programme (NASCP)

Background

• Nigeria is working towards meeting the global 95-95-95 goals by 2030. As the country moves towards achieving epidemic control, the challenge is to ensure that current efforts are sustained in the long term.
• Transitioning to chronic HIV care after epidemic control is achieved will require People Living with HIV (PLHIV) to engage with the health care system in an ongoing, chronic care relationship for the remainder of their lives.
• Clinical mentoring has been identified as critical to building successful networks of trained health workers for supporting clinical teams in HIV, other disease conditions such as Hepatitis, disease outbreak and surveillance at the sub-national level. In this light, NASCP with the support from CDC and Global Fund in collaboration with stakeholders is rolled out the National Clinical Mentorship Programme (NCMP) across the 36 States and the FCT to ensure sustained provision of quality services at all levels of care.
• Through this programme, a pool of Clinical Mentors was recruited to provide ongoing support for reviewing cases, disease surveillance, solving problems, reinforcing guidelines and ensuring high quality care.

Responsibilities
The candidate will support NASCP’s governance and coordination of the National Clinical Mentorship Programme (NCMP), by undertaking the following:

General roles:

• Provide on-site clinical training to clinicians on HIV, TB, Hepatitis, syphilis, disease outbreak and surveillance at the sub-national level according to the national guidelines and policies.
• Provide training through clinical consultation, assisting local clinicians to identify key bottlenecks affecting patients’ access to care and helping them with direct patient care as needed
• Provide Continuous medical education, which may include didactic training sessions to health professionals, as needed. All training will be in accordance with the national guidelines.
•  Develop standard operating procedures for the provision of clinical care at the health facility in collaboration with the ministry of health and other stakeholders. This may include troubleshooting problems with the patient flow, tracking defaulters, or clarifying referral pathways by developing appropriate algorithms 
• Submit a monthly report on training and technical assistance activities, as well as findings and recommendations for strengthening services in the health facility and compliance with the national treatment guidelines
• Lead manuscript development, research and publications.
• Work closely with the SCMT in the performance management of the mentorship programme
• Perform other duties related to clinical mentoring as assigned

PMTCT:
The National Clinical Mentor, will be part of PMTCT State Team, assisting with the following roles.

• The coordination of activity across all intervention areas
• Support service provision for HIV and syphilis management among pregnant women
• Support the generation and management of data at the LGA and SDPs
• Support the supportive and mentorship intervention at the LGA and SDPs
• Monitor engagement of community leaders, religious leaders and other community gatekeepers at the LGA on PMTCT activities.
• Identify and resolve issues as they arise, which often requires interpretation of existing procedures and processes and determining the appropriate application
• Implement the use of standard operating procedure for PMTCT at service delivery points
• Coordinate, plan, manage, and supervised of the scale up activities at state level as documented in the TOR
• Provide technical assistance and mentorship to healthcare service providers
• Oversee Demand creation, Identification, testing, and linkage to PMTCT services.

Paediatrics:

• The NCMs and SCMs should be champions for paediatrics case finding and linkage to care.
• Assist the SASCP and IPs in active paediatrics case finding using novel testing strategies

Hepatitis:

• Provide clinical mentorship to healthcare workers in the management and treatment of Hepatitis 
• The NCMs and SCMs should be champions for Hepatitis case finding and linkage to care.
• Assist the SASCP and IPs in active Hepatitis case finding using novel testing strategies.

Syphilis:

•  Provide clinical mentorship to healthcare workers in the management and treatment of syphilis
• The NCMs and SCMs should be champions for syphilis case finding and linkage to care.
• Assist the SASCP and IPs in active syphilis case finding using novel testing strategies.

PSM:

• Assist HCWs in follow-up screening on client on possible ADR especially for the newly introduced ARVs.
• Assist HCWs in active and passive pharmacovigilance

Digital Health and Innovative Institute:

• Build health worker capacity using various methodologies (including use of State project ECHO low bandwidth video conferencing and any other telehealth strategies).
• Facilitate the State weekly calls with the stakeholders and health workers from various facilities.
• Participate in the disease surveillance and operation of the EoC in the State.

Data management:

• Champion NDARS reporting and data quality
• Ensure monthly reporting of NCMP activities on the NDARS

Qualifications & Skills

• Must possess a Degree in Medical Sciences (MBBS or equivalent).  Post graduate qualification/Masters level training in Public Health, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Paediatrics or Obstetrics will be an advantage.
• Must be registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria
• At least 5 years’ experience with clinical HIV and AIDS care, including the provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART)
• Must have at least 3 years’ experience with program planning, assessment, and implementation of HIV clinical care program. Experience in the provision of HIV clinical training
• Previous experience in HIV-related operational research is an advantage
• Good knowledge of current trends and normative guidance (national and international) in HIV clinical care and service delivery
• Experience in coordinating multi-disciplinary HIV clinical teams for effective service delivery
• Willingness to travel to clinics and hospitals in assigned geographical areas

Required Competencies / Skills:

• Demonstrated coaching and mentoring ability
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with people of different backgrounds
• Ability to apply problem-solving skills to ongoing challenges.
• Strong organizing, planning, and prioritizing skills
• Sensitivity to different cultural working environments
• Ability to analyze and interpret data, and write reports
• Capacity to operate both as a team player in large diverse teams as well as individually.
• Self-motivated with a strong work ethic
• Proficiency in the computers and software/applications such as presentation software, spreadsheets, and video conferencing

Deliverables:

• Develop a workplan and share with NASCP
• Submit monthly reports of activities and timesheet.
• Support States mentorship programme operations and ensures the programme runs within one year of engagement of State Clinical Mentors Team (SCMT) for ownership and sustainability.
• Support States HIV programme to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets by 2030.

Contracting & Accountability:

• The National Clinical Mentor will be accountable to the Chief National Clinical Mentor and report through and supervised by the National Clinical Mentor II.