Public Health Institute, Senior Drug Resistant TB Advisor Full Time

SUSTAINING TECHNICAL AND ANALYTIC RESOURCES

FELLOWSHIP TITLE: Senior Drug Resistant TB Advisor
HOST ORGANIZATION:   National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Program, Ministry of Health and University Teaching Hospital

LOCATION: Lusaka, Zambia

POSITION LEVEL:  Senior Technical Advisor

STAR-P1-047

TRAVEL: 25% estimated travel

STAR PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Sustaining Technical and Analytic Resources (STAR) is a project of the Public Health Institute (PHI) supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Global Health (GH) Bureau. Its purpose is twofold: (1) Through individual fellowships, STAR will help strengthen the capacity of diverse American and low-and-middle-income country (LMIC) health professionals at all levels to make innovative contributions to global health (GH); and (2) STAR will create ground-breaking opportunities for both US and LMIC GH academic institutions and other groups, including professional associations, to create systems for open-access knowledge sharing, resulting in effective partnerships. STAR’s individual and institutional participants are contributing to the development of self-sustaining systems and tools that will produce global citizens with the full spectrum of relevant health competencies. STAR is managed by the Public Health Institute and implemented in partnership with Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH).

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP

The STAR Fellowship is a two-year global health and learning opportunity with:

·         Individualized, tailored support to enhance the fellow’s achievement personal and professional goals

·         Personalized learning plans and access to learning resources (courses, conferences, mentoring) based on fellow’s learning style and preferences.

·         Access to broad professional networks to enhance peer learning and knowledge sharing.

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

Background:

USAID is a leader in the global fight against tuberculosis (TB) and supports anti-TB efforts in high burden TB countries. STAR Fellowship is a key component of the USAID Administrator’s TB Accelerator initiative that aims to reach the UN General Assembly TB Declaration targets as well as to build the capacity and commitment of the host governments to ensure TB self-reliance through evidence-based TB programs.

Introduction:

The Senior Drug Resistant-TB Advisor (Senior Advisor) shall provide state-of-the-art technical expertise to the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Program (NTLP) in implementing the National Drug Resistant Guidelines. They will support the Program to build the capacity of the National, Provincial and District Clinical Expert Committee members and health care workers in strengthening the Programmatic Management of Drug Resistant TB (PMDT) and improving the diagnosis, treatment and care of MDR/RR-TB, and pre-XDR/XDR-TB.

Reporting structure:

The Senior Advisor will be based at the DR-TB Treatment Centre at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and work in close collaboration with Infectious Disease team at UTH. They will report to and receive technical direction from the NTLP Manager and will work in close collaboration with USAID/Zambia and USAID/Washington TB team.

Essential Duties and Outcomes:

Build Capacity of NTLP to improve the ability to build DR TB Sites:

·         Build the capacity of existing Drug-Resistant (DR) TB sites, including the use of mentorship, cohort monitoring, quality improvement tools and improved supervisory arrangements to increase the consistency and quality of clinical practice in PMDT.

·         Plan and support the facilitation of expansion of DR TB diagnosis and treatment services to additional DR-TB treatment sites.

·         Review policy options for new regimens for consideration by NTLP by staying current on global updates for New Drug (ND) Shortened Treatment Regimen (STR) to ensure early adoption of international guidelines.

·         Provide support in the rollout of STR and new drugs and regimens (ND&R) for drug resistant TB.

·         Analyze the drivers of loss to follow-up, mortality and other poor outcomes; initiate (with NTLP) any necessary corrective actions.

·         Ensure all DR-TB treatment sites are actively reporting adverse effects.

·         Conduct technical guidance and mentorship to treatment and follow up sites.

·         Work with NTP to guide the national process of adopting and scaling up a customized DR-TB Comprehensive package.

Improved implementation of PMDT activities financed by Global Fund:

·         Support the NTP to accelerate PMDT activities financed by Global Fund.

Improved coordination of PMDT activities nationwide:

·         Support the implementation of TB drug-safety monitoring and management (aDSM).

·         Strengthen the NTP’s ability to oversee a well-coordinated PMDT program through ambulatory care throughout the country, with established reporting and recording tools and standard operating procedures.

·         Work with NTP and Global Fund and/or the Ministry of Social Affairs to link MDR-TB patients with nutrition, cash, psychosocial support packages, or other benefits.

·         Provide regular updates on PMDT progress to NTP and USAID, including developing and submitting technical monthly progress report and bi-annual monitoring and evaluation report to USAID staff.

Anticipated learning outcomes: * Required 10% time

·         Demonstrate proficiency across the core global health competencies defined as development practice, cross cultural awareness, communication, capacity strengthening, ethics of public health, health equity, gender equality and global burden of disease that is necessary for persons practicing in global health.

·         Cultivate mentorship skills based on the STAR GH mentorship curriculum to more effectively support and improve knowledge transfer and skills acquisition of staff, incoming fellows and interns.

·         Advance leadership skills to successful support capacity building and knowledge sharing activities, and mentor develop junior staff.

·         Apply leadership skills and technical expertise to support programmatic growth and scale up within PMDT/TB programming.

FELLOWSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Required:

·         Minimum 13 years of PMDT experience with master’s degree or a minimum of 15 years of PMDT experience with bachelor’s degree.

·         MD plus certificate in internal medicine or MPH or equivalent.

·         In depth knowledge and hands-on experience in the clinical management of drug resistant TB is an advantage.

·         Demonstrated ability to review, analyze and advise all aspects of PMDT at national and sub-national level.

·         Up-to-date knowledge of Global and national policies on all aspects of the management of drug resistant TB.

·         Up-to-date knowledge of ongoing and emerging issues in PMDT, like epidemiology, international policy, evidence development and (MDR) TB control strategies, especially regarding shorter MDR regimens, new drugs and new diagnostics.

·         Experience in teaching/training and capacity building.

·         Experience working with the key stakeholders in TB program, preferably the national stakeholders and international donors.

·         Zambian citizenship required.

TO APPLY:

All applicants are required to apply for this position through STAR’s online recruitment system at https://recruitment.ghstar.org/, which allows you to store your CV/resume and separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application. All online applications must be submitted by August 28, 2019 by 5:00 pm Eastern time.