Reports to Principal Investigator. The incumbent will provide clinical leadership and ongoing on-site mentorship to the teams working in the PEN Plus clinics within the Zambian Ministry of Health (MoH) first level hospitals, specifically in Matero, Mwachisompola and Kapiri Mposhi First Level hospitals. S/he will ensure people living with NCDs (PLWNCDs) are enrolled in the PEN Plus clinics and receive appropriate continuous medical care to enhance their quality of life. This position requires a comprehensive understanding of the WHO PEN Plus model and the Zambian health care system with a strong in-person presence at the PEN Plus sites.
Main duties
- Supports the supervision of coaches and mentors the clinical team to ensure quality in clinical service provision, through active case finding within hospital departments, enrolment into the PEN Plus clinic, regular/ longitudinal review of patients and referrals if need arises.
- Ensures that enrolled patients are retained in care, with those missing scheduled visits followed up (actively and remotely) and brought back into care.
- Promotes integration of NCD care in already existing systems such as HIV/ AIDS, TB, Malaria, mental health, palliative care etc.
- Ensures availability of both electronic and paper based tools such as standard treatment guidelines and other visual aids within the sites.
- Understands the hospital algorithms and train the clinical team to adhere accordingly. Assess the training needs and other gaps of the PEN Plus teams in the sites and recommends appropriate remedies.
- Facilitates routine communication and partnership with the respective hospital management teams and leadership in all the sites, respective departments and serves as the liaison officer between hospitals, MoH teams and CIDRZ.
- Works with local hospital teams to ensure MoH takes ownership and oversight of PENPlus clinic and integration with all hospital services
- Organizes training and mentorship activities including collaboration with respective specialists.
- Works with the clinical team in the PEN Plus sites and the clinical specialists and mentors to ensure regular mentoring visits by specialists to the sites.
- Facilitates the PEN-Plus telemedicine and remote/ virtual training and mentorship sessions with both local and international specialists who are engaged in various fields such as ECHO, T1D, SCD etc (telediagnosis, teleconsultations, telementoring).
- Takes responsibility for availability of medicines and medical supplies in all the active PEN Plus sites
- Ensures that the medical equipment needed such as ECHO, ECG, Nebulisers, spirometers are available and functioning well
- Develops relationships with specialists/clinicians to manage the referral and counterreferral systems within the provinces.
- Works with PEN Plus clinical teams in the sites to ensure close follow up of individual patients referred for specialized treatment.
- Ensures that patients are brought back in care at the PEN Plus sites after treatreatment at tertiary level, with a clear treatment plan from the managing specialty. are linked to the various governemet services that are available such as the social cash transfer program.
- Supports quality data collection, entry and reporting at all the sites
- Works with the study coordinator to plan for regular data review meetings in all PEN Plus sites in order to give feedback on indicator and program performance
Qualifications
- MBChB, MBBS, MD or equivalent
- MPH will be an added advantage
- Registered medical officer in good standing with the HPCZ, with a valid professional license
- Experience and/or Interest in NCD patient care
- At least 3 years experience supervising teams and project management familiarity and experience working with MoH preferred
- Strong commitment to social justice and well versed in principles of social medicine Willing to work in complex setting with clinical care and program challenges and collaboration with many stakeholders from different backgrounds
- Excellent written and spoken English skills
- Proficiency in Nyanja and Bemba
