Stabilization Centre Officer at Action Against Hunger | ACF-International

Action Against Hunger is currently looking to fill the role of Stabilization Centre Officer who will be responsible for the overall and day-to-day management of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) with Medical complications at ACF Supported Stabilization Centre (SC). S/he will be in charge for the overall support and direct supervision of the SC seconded staffs including SC Doctors, SC Nurses and SC Nurse Assistants. 

Position Details

Reporting to: Nutrition and Health Programme Manager

Proposed start date: July 2025

Work location: Nguru, Yobe State

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensure that the referred SAM children from other health facilities or community health workers are re-diagnosed and documented appropriately;
• Ensure that the admission criteria into a stabilization centre according to the national CMAM protocol and WHO guidelines are followed;
• Support the stabilization centre medical team on deciding properly about the malnutrition status of SAM children and referrals to other components of CMAM (SC/OTP/SFP) by ensuring strict compliance with the recommended discharge criteria;
• Boldly indicate on the wall all the available OTP in the LGA for appropriate referral of SAM children to OTP nearest to their home;
• Ensure that dispensing of sugar water and F75 upon admission is in place;
• Ensure appropriate diagnosis and monitoring of hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, dehydration, severe anaemia, take timely action to prevent and treat those complications using the protocol strictly in collaboration with SC doctors;
• Follow up of the anthropometric measurement of the children (weight, MUAC, checking bilateral eodema and W/H percentage) to ensure consistent weight gain in collaboration with the SC team;
• Closely follow up and monitor to ensure that all the necessary information on the registration book, treatment sheet, follow up card at admission and discharge are recorded for each beneficiary;
• Provide technical coaching to the nurses and nurse aids on calculation, preparation of therapeutic milk and distribution and monitoring of feeding according to the standard protocol for the SAM children;
• Ensure that SC nurses and nurse aids are encouraging breastfeeding practices;
• Train nurses and nurse aids on supplementary suckling technique (SST) and ensure SST for mothers facing breastfeeding challenges;
• Ensure that the systematic treatment and drugs are given correctly to all patient in collaboration with SC doctors;
• Ensure caregivers are regularly given feedback on the status of their children;
• Follow up of the hygiene and sanitation rules in the centre and ensure PPE are always available and being used;
• Identification of absence and defaulters from stabilization centre and follow up at home through volunteer’s network and / or outreach staff in collaboration with Nut & Health Programme Manager;
• Carry out daily ward rounds in the morning and evening with SC Doctors, SC nurses and ensure patients are visited as appropriately. Ensure the notes on patient cards are properly filled after the ward rounds or any other patient examination or procedures;
• Ensure that all the SC team are familiar with and respect all the ACF Internal rules and regulations;
• Ensure that adequate supplies are available in stabilization centres in collaboration with the  Nutrition and Health PM;
• Ensure that daily record/tally on utilization of each medicine and therapeutic feeding product used in SC are available;
• Prepare weekly / monthly utilization, requisition and stock report for therapeutic feeding products, medicines and medical equipment with validation from the PM manager;
• Liaise with ACTION AGAINST HUNGER pharmacist for supplies with adequate anticipation;
• Follow up the utilization and expiry information of all therapeutic feeding product and medicines on a regular basis and inform ACTION AGAINST HUNGER pharmacist for appropriate action required;
• Prepare and ensure that the order forms are in conformity (including consumption coherence and SRO) and ensure anticipation to prevent stock out;
• Provide technical support in milk preparation in accordance with protocol and hygiene rules;
• Ensure rational use of medicines and therapeutic foods at the center;
• Ensure that all medical devices and equipment are properly handled and functioning at all time;
• Responsible facilitation and tracking of food for care givers in collaboration with the logistics department;
• Support Nutrition and Health Manager in facilitating and organizing technical trainings for SC health workers;
• Organize training and refresher session for SC Health Workers on SAM management;
• Develop customized need specific guidance notes on delivery service for on job coaching on different modules based on national protocol;
• Conduct technical on-job coaching of SC health workers on regular basis;
• Ensure use of predefined quality assessment checklist, on-job coaching guidance as well as support SC Doctors and Nurses in using these tools;
• Provide technical training and regular guidance to health workers on appropriate stock management and reporting (LMIS);
• Lead continuous learning and improvement for SC;
• Respect the existing working rules and be attentive to the working condition of the personnel;
• Assist SC doctors to develop monthly roster for different SC staffs and ensure monitoring this;
• Distribute and delegate the work within the personnel according to their knowledge;
• Organize and conduct weekly medical meetings with the team to discuss mortality review and case study in collaboration with the Nutrition and Health program manager;
• Inform the line managers in case of difficulties and challenges faced for timely remedial action;
• Ensure optimal hygienic condition of the center through regular daily cleaning and monthly super cleaning of the whole center;
• Ensure that all information from initial diagnosis and previous diagnosis/treatments (if referred from OTP) of SAM children coming to the centre are captured in the CCP card and admission register;
• Ensure that all data collection tools (i.e. screening registers, patient registers, patient CCP card, patient feeding chart, patient’s diagnosis test reports etc.) are regularly updated and always available at the centre;
• Ensure that all actions carried out on any SAM patient are recorded in the patient file no matter how minute;
• Compile and analyse the data and determine the performance of the centre, share the monthly Activity Progress Report in collaboration with the Nutrition and Health Programme Manager;
• Regularly report and coordinate with nutrition PM regarding challenges, issues faced at the centre for timely and appropriate decision-making;
• In coordination with the Nutrition and Health PM, Logistics department and base Pharmacist, ensure appropriate supply plan on weekly/Daily basis, for the stabilization centre. Communicate to ensure functioning and maintenance of SC ambulance and generator any issue identified in advance.

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Midwifery, Medicine, Public Health or other relevant qualifications with experience in Public Health and CMAM programming;
• Minimum of three (3) years’ experience in in- patient management of SAM cases with Medical Complications and CMAM programmes implementation;
• Valid practicing license;
• Excellent report-writing skills is required;
• Fluent in written and spoken English, Hausa and/or Kanuri;
• Good Communication and Interpersonal skills;
• Team management experience with similar programs;
• Commitment to and understanding of ACTION AGAINST HUNGER’s aims, values and principles;
• Working knowledge of Word, Excel, Power Point is required.