CHILD SAFEGUARDING: (select only one)

Level 2: either the post holder will have access to personal data about children and/or young people as part of their work; or the post holder will be working in a ‘regulated’ position (accountant, barrister, solicitor, legal executive); therefore, a police check will be required (at ‘standard’ level in the UK or equivalent in other countries).

PROJECT OVERVIEW:

Save the Children (SCI) is committed to delivering essential health and nutrition (H&N) and primary health care services, including integrated management of new-born and childhood illnesses (IMNCI), reproductive- and mental health-, as well as basic psychosocial support to the most vulnerable populations affected by displacement, including refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and host communities in District  Loralai  The targeted health facilities in selected districts will offer treatment of uncomplicated SAM and MAM in children 6-59 months and PLW, but also Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) support. The facility-based life-saving primary health, nutrition, and MHPSS interventions will be complemented by community-based and participatory outreach interventions to ascertain responsive, inclusive, and equitable service delivery and strengthen health-seeking behaviours. This comprehensive initiative integrates child protection (CP) interventions within its framework, aligning closely with the 2023 Afghanistan Humanitarian Response Plan, the 2022 UNHCR Refugee Response Plan, and the Solution Strategy for Afghan Refugees.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The  Medical Officer plays a pivotal role in the effective implementation of health and nutrition programs within designated districts, specifically  District  Loralai .The key responsibilities of this role include delivering primary healthcare services, particularly in the domain of Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (MNCAH&N). The primary focus is on serving vulnerable populations impacted by displacement, including refugees, internally , returnees, and host communities in the region.

In addition to these responsibilities, S/He will conduct program monitoring and supportive supervision activities to uphold program efficiency and effectiveness. This includes the preparation of comprehensive reports, tailored to meet project objectives and reporting requirements. Furthermore, as a representative of the organization, S/He will actively participate in health & nutrition working groups at the provincial level and engage in pertinent provincial and district-level meetings involving national/international NGOs/INGOs, UN agencies, and national stakeholders. The success of this role is contingent on the commitment and experience of a dedicated professional capable of driving the delivery of essential health and nutrition services to vulnerable populations while upholding the highest standards of technical quality and program efficiency.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to:  Project Manager

Supervisory Role: Technical Backstopping and Supportive Supervision of the Implementation  of Health and Nutrition Activites  at field level

Staff reporting to this post: yes

Budget Responsibilities: No

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

Program Coordination:

• He/she is responsible for provision of healthcare including preventive and curative. He shall also liaise with community, formally through his staff and the outreach workers and informally through his contacts with people for creating community awareness for primary healthcare.
• He/she is the resident Medical Officer and is expected to be available 24 hours a day for emergency cases. He shall sit in the BHU or Mobile Health Team for his routine duties as per notified time schedule.
• For the purpose of discipline, the MO in charge BHU(s) and Mobile Health Tean is leader of the BHU health team which, in addition to the BHU staff and out-reach workers, includes those working at , MCH Centre, TB clinic, Civil Dispensaries etc. in the catchment population of BHU(s) and RHCs . All reports/complaints made by him will carry weight and action shall be taken by the competent authority. In case the MO is not satisfied by the action, or if undue delay occurs, he will report to the higher authorities/echelon in the hierarchy.
• All staff working at BHU, including the out-reach workers assigned to the BHU, would mark their daily attendance in the register maintained by the MO and kept in his office. They shall all operate from or at the BHU.
• He/ She shall prepare and maintain duty roster for BHU /health team and organize it in accordance with the objectives set for the BHU. In this regard, he is to observe principle of effectiveness and efficiency to ensure efficient utilization of human resources available to him.
• He/ She is responsible for cleanliness and general maintenance of BHU, in all respects. His performance evaluation will be based on achievement of the objectives laid down for BHU and BHU health team.
• He/ She shall supervise and ensure efficient utilization of material and monetary resources available to the BHU health team.
• He/ She is responsible for data collection, demographic profile, epidemiological characteristics and health statistics pertaining to the CA of the BHU(s).
• He/ She shall facilitate the task of local planning and goal setting. He shall, in this respect, provide information on local conditions. Based on this information, he would also propose plans and strategies for improvement.
• He/ She shall ensure maintenance of stock register by the concerned officials in the BHU and attached health facilities.y requirement, additions or replacements, he shall pass to DSU and the same channel will be observed after receipt of the indented items. He shall verify all such receipts before disbursements.
• He/ She shall forward proposals for annual and any other special repair of the buildings to the DSU. He shall closely supervise civil works and repairs when undertaken at the BHU.
• He/ She shall be responsible for maintenance of all registers and forms, and for transmission of the information and periodic reports to be submitted under this Manual or required by the higher authorities.
• He/ She is responsible for the provision of component activities under the PHC to the recipient individuals and communities.
• As in charge of health team, the MO shall promote community participation. This should, essentially initiate a process of change in the community from a traditional recipient nature to a contributing society, leading to the community's attitude toward health facilities that they own, support and contribute to such activities. For the purpose, MO and his health team shall identify, train and support a health worker and use traditional methods and resources. He should help identify the stake holders for the formation of support groups and facilitate their participation in the group membership.
• The MO and his health team shall also work closely with the workers from the other allied sectors and programs, such as teachers, agriculture extension workers and religious leaders, and other stake holders in the promotion of PHC
• The MO shall ensure that record pertaining to patients, services performed and administrative functions as required by this Manual is maintained and kept up to date.
• The MO shall supervise the distribution of medical and other supplies to the respective health workers and ensure that regular supply of consumables is maintained, and take appropriate action to avoid any stock outs.
• He would ensure that the targets of health workers belonging to various programs are timely achieved.
• He is responsible for the performance evaluation and working of the sanitation staff. He shall ensure that an optimal standard of sanitation and clean environment is maintained, and these measures extend to the water reservoirs and other sources of water supply.
• He should be aware of the epidemiological characteristics and the health statistics of BHU’s catchment area, and take appropriate measures to effectively combat each source of communicable diseases, if any, before its eruption into epidemic.
• He should supervise family planning activities at the BHU, MCH and other outlets of DOH assigned to the BHU to ensure that the targets, in this respect, set for various health workers are achieved. He should keep a liaison with the family planning outlets and out-reach workers of the department of Population Welfare and keep himself abreast of their activities and achievements.
• The curative duties of the MO include diagnosis, treatment and referral of individual patients coming to the BHU and the communities falling within the CA of BHU.
• The MO shall, after diagnosing the patient and finding that he requires an outdoor treatment, offer the treatment available at the BHU, but in case the patient requires admission/special investigation, the MO shall refer him to the RHC/MCH 24/7 in the first instance. In special case, patients may be referred directly to CH/DHQ hospitals.
• If the patient suffers from some notifiable or communicable disease, the MO should adopt appropriate measures as per standing instructions including screening of the local community the patient has come from. Depending upon the results of screening, the MO should take measures to combat the situation. In this process he shall keep his higher authorities informed/notified and will seek their help if required.
• The MO will keep a record, in the appropriate forms and registers, of all the events observed and of actions under taken by him in pursuit of his duties.
• In the event of any medico- legal case reporting to the BHU, the MO, after administering first aid, shall immediately refer to RHC. However, in his referral slip, he shall record whatever procedures were performed by him on the patient.
• To Provide treatment of minor ailment and refer the cases to higher facilities for management.

BEHAVIOURS (Values in Practice)

Accountability:

• Holds self-accountable for making decisions, managing resources efficiently, achieving and role modelling Save the Children values.
• Holds the team and partners accountable to deliver on their responsibilities - giving them the freedom to deliver in the best way they see fit, providing the necessary development to improve performance and applying appropriate consequences when results are not achieved.

Ambition:

• Sets ambitious and challenging goals for themselves and their team, takes responsibility for their own personal development and encourages their team to do the same.
• Widely shares their personal vision for Save the Children, engages and motivates others.
• Future orientated, thinks strategically and on a global Scale.

Collaboration:

• Builds and maintains effective relationships, with their team, colleagues, Members and external partners and supporters.
• Values diversity sees it as a source of competitive strength.
• Approachable, good listener, easy to talk to.

Creativity:

• Develops and encourages new and innovative solutions.
• Willing to take disciplined risks.

Integrity:

• Honest, encourages openness and transparency; demonstrates highest levels of integrity.

QUALIFICATIONS 

• MBBS, MD recognized from PMDC Islamabad plus one year House Job

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential:

• Relevant experience, with a strong background in working with or within public health systems. Along with this, proven experience for a national or an international organization preferably working on health and nutrition issues in a development and/or emergency context would be an asset.
• Prior working experience with federal or provincial health department and national/international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) is highly desirable.
• Awareness and knowledge of health & nutrition issues in general and their relevance to the development programs, humanitarian emergency and post-conflict recovery setting especially refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees and vulnerable host communities in Pakistan (Balochistan Province), which has a high concentration of Afghan refugees.
• Specialized expertise in Integrated Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health and Nutrition programs.
• Experience in program coordination and community participatory methods for community development and mobilization.
• Ability to present complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Ability and willingness to be flexible and accommodating in difficult and sometimes insecure contexts, including flexibility to work with incoming emergency response teams.
• Proficiency in relevant data collection and analysis.
• Willingness to travel to field sites.
• Proficient in speaking and written English and Urdu. Local language would be considered an asset.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

Equal Opportunities

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI’s global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Gender Equality Policies, supported by relevant procedures.

Child Safeguarding:

We need to keep children safe so our selection process, which includes rigorous background checks, reflects our commitment to the protection of children from abuse.

Safeguarding our Staff:

The post holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the SCI anti-harassment policy.

Health and Safety

The role holder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with SCI Health and Safety policies and procedures.

Save the Children holds its Safeguarding principles and policies with high importance and commits to rigorous procedures to ensure all our personnel and programs are safe, particularly for children. All candidates will, therefore, be subject to strict background checks. Qualified candidates from minorities, indigenous groups, women and people with disabilities from local level are highly encouraged to apply.